tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82243149614754537902024-02-19T11:13:06.541-05:00EricInMiamiTo enlighten, delight, cheer-up, piss-off and instill thought on matters from a unique point of view.Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-24632622184513466412014-02-24T22:43:00.001-05:002014-03-03T18:35:57.566-05:00Dear Miami, I'm Breaking up with You<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>"Dear Miami, this is tough for me but...I uh, gotta break up with you. Now-now wait a minute...don't get upset. It's not you, it's me....well...really, it's mostly you."</b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>!KA-POW! - to the back of my head and a quick !BITCH-SLAP! to my right cheek.</b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>"I'm sorry, I don't hate you or anything I just can't live with you anymore." </b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>One more !SLAP! to my other cheek.</b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>"Okay let me explain..."</b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">After living my entire life as a proud Miamian, I have grown to realize how things have obviously changed in this young-girl of a city. Rampant development, a lot of it positive and much needed improvements to what was always just a seasonal destination. Locals in the service industry used to have to wait for "<a href="http://www.expedia.com/daily/vacations/miami/info/event-calendar.asp">season</a>" to make any real money because the rest of the year it was pretty much dead and summer being the worst time of the year, it would become a veritable ghost town. Season would usually descend upon our playground city as soon as it would cool down and the snowbirds landed, sometime after Halloween and run until about April. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, "season" has pretty much spread to most of the other parts of the year even the traditional summer drop in business is no longer noticeable.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />I refuse to join the ranks of the mass of "Miami-haters" scattered around the globe and that bad-talk Miami for so many reasons but as a Miamian, I have slowly realized that something has changed with our magic city in the process of her being a big girl. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">I wil always be grateful to Miami. She has nurtured me in her bodacious bosom and I've had too many remarkably fun and hedonistic moments that my brain can remember. She has opened my mind with her eccentricities, feeding my addiction to her nightlife. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">When you compare 100 year old (about) Miami with other cities that have centuries more years under their belts, she doesn't compare with the diversity, depth and sophistication of the grande dame cities like San Francisco, New York and Chicago. They hold the allure and inspire as say, a Marilyn Monroe or Brigitte Bardot kind of lady.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">Miami is like the girl that just turned 18 and just learned how to wear makeup and walk in heels, showing off her hot new body. The minute she gets into the club with her fake ID, she has a magnetism about her that grabs everyone's attention. All the guys want to sleep with her but that's as far as it goes. That is all she has to offer, for the moment, after all she is only 18.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">After years of hearing, "That's so Miami" and wondering what these people really meant, I eventually discovered it wasn't a compliment. The top criticisms of Miami I have collected over the last couple of years (from locals and non-locals) have been: </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>"Well, you know Miami people are not that educated and things go slower there." </b></i></span></div>
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<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">"People in Miami don't know how to carry conversation. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">They only keep it on the surface." </span></b></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>"If you aren't attractive, you are ignored." </b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>"That place is super fake and the people are flaky."</b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>"Welcome to Miami, a sunny place with shady people."</b></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><i>"People in Miami are too pretentious for no reason."</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>"When people from Miami come in to our restaurant in New York, we always seat them in the back because they are loud and obnoxious."</b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">Yeah I know, it hurts to hear it. All this time I thought I was pretty cool to be in such a down to earth city where the world comes to party and the people really tell it like it is. The overly expressive latin mentality gives us permission to be brutally honest, so much so that there a lot of people who are just, well Dicks. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">But aside from that, when you compare Miami to all the other cities, it is the most colorful, esthetically appealing, fun and has the best weather this side of Los Angeles. Yeah, all those things count and that puts her at the top for destination cities, gaining her ranking alongside New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The problem is not with our city, mother nature made her just right. It is a virtual paradise almost every day of the year, it's a very comfortable life. You can survive with less here than other big cities. The problem is with her "people". </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Miami has evolved into a type of new Havana where the locals with their wits about them and ability to leave, all emigrate out as soon as they can. Why do they leave? They are looking for more affordable housing, better paying jobs, a more progressive, calm lifestyle that isn't as "crazy" or stressful and after your 30's if you aren't partnered up, it can get boring. </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">The ones that migrate to Miami are looking for exactly that. They want color, craziness. They want to sow their oats, and sip on the sexy, spicy, latino gazpacho under a beach umbrella with a hot ocean breeze caressing their faces. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">The problem is when a city caters to that type of tourism or residents, it changes the dynamic of the city and the locals are left feeling like the city has turned into a place not of their making. Miami is a city that never slows down and is addicted to hedonism 12 months out of the year. There never seems to be a time to slow down and reflect. Miami doesn't afford time to it's residents for respite. There is always a festival or event to rush to get ready for. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">While i'm not absolutely sure when the disconnect that exists today first occurred or what changed the air here but I do have a theory. I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;">t happened some time between the release of Will Smith's cheesy "Welcome to Miami" video and when someone dropped a hot, steamy dump inside the fitting room of the Kardashian's Dash store on their equally shitty show; <i>The Kardashians Take Miami</i>. It was those two events that sealed our fate and when the subterranean, asshole magnet was turned on. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">From that point on, the "asswhole invasion" began. Douchebags from around the world started to come in droves driving their douchey sport cars, yachts and private jets and with their trophy wives or mistresses in tow.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Developers started building overpriced, high-rise condos that no local salary could afford and baptizing them with egomaniacal names like; Quantum, Icon or Epic that could easily double as names for a condom brand. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">As a result of this "asshole invasion" the people that weren't assholes ended up acting like them so they wouldn't feel left out of this apparent, new normal. This is what I like to call "AAD" or Asshole Affective Disorder. As a result, of the mass AAD epidemic with South Beach at it's epicenter, the rest of Miami has seen it's good people turn into zombies walking around as if they were on a never ending fashion show catwalk with their blue-steel gazes and nonchalant, poker faces acting as if their milk shake is better than anyone else's. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">If you attempt to break rank and connect eyes or dare to greet one of these zombies with what is normal in other cities, with a simple "Hi", you will be guaranteed a quick roll of the eyes or a turn away as if you were a paparazzi trying to take their picture. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">I know it sounds like an exaggeration but the next time you are in Miami, give it a try. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Is Miami really the coolest place to live as it's sold to be? The only way to answer is to go to other cities and really look at how people treat each other and what the vibe of a place is. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI5V4EbsN6JqelT8F4i82K7s6hYJJfrkx9F1MhO8MipqMhe3l6Gmh9atuLafpLkdPIJkZljlTxjVN_5PKrZYqQGoGZv_d6bsCisqnyk9by-tESjkBH5EMMrNgyEmIDWehLJFmF4rlxLv5/s1600/assholes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI5V4EbsN6JqelT8F4i82K7s6hYJJfrkx9F1MhO8MipqMhe3l6Gmh9atuLafpLkdPIJkZljlTxjVN_5PKrZYqQGoGZv_d6bsCisqnyk9by-tESjkBH5EMMrNgyEmIDWehLJFmF4rlxLv5/s320/assholes.jpg" height="320" width="250" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">After feeling like my home was no longer home, and no longer blaming myself for the alienation I was feeling, I decided to believe the old adage; when things no longer go right, it's time to go left. I made the painful decision to break with my hometown to shift gears, exchanging the partying life of molly for an earthy-crunchy, granola, zen existence on the "other coast" in the more gracefully matured city of San Francisco. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">After all, it is in my genes to migrate to find a better place. My parents emigrated to Miami escaping Cuban communism to get a piece of the American pie. I am blessed with a less painful option to emigrate and try another city inside this diverse and still beautiful country. We enjoy the freedom to explore other cities, to burst out of one bubble and plug into another. Sometimes home isn't where you are born but where best suits you at any given time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>"Now Miami, I ain't hating, i'm just telling you, if you're gonna play with the big boys, you're gonna have to be able to take some constructive criticism to be a real, big city one day. Don't hate me for this but it's adios for now, I hope you'll miss me when i'm gone. </b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><i><b>I'll probably fall back in love with you and chase you down one day, after you get over this weird, growing phase thing. For now, I am fulfilled with the eyes of kinder, warmer strangers greeting me with good mornings and hello's. Instead of an eternal tan, I enjoy basking in a softer sun and the crispy-cool pacific breeze of "fog city". </b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><i><b>My only hope is that in your rush to get noticed and become a big girl, you don't forget what makes a city great is not only it's great clubs, buildings or infrastructure but it's charm, sense of peace and humanity. </b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><i><b>Without that, you'll just keep attracting the wrong kind of people into your life."</b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">*Tips on how to avoid and clear infection from Miami's <a href="http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-simple-steps-to-not-being-total-asshole/">AAD</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">*A recent <a href="http://www.miaminewtimes.com/microsites/people-2013/">New Times profile</a> of Miami's socially conscious change makers. They are the finest examples of the resistance to the invasion. It's people like these that just might save her.</span></span></span></div>
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Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-22084897278135695012014-01-11T19:09:00.000-05:002014-01-11T19:14:34.363-05:00Interview with Egypt's Zahi Hawass - The Once and Future Egypt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzq0uh49gceKciNv_Rwx7FIMkN6uxxEHuXZNEjCVEkWCWgLvw0XSKANfFojTXYWHpvfa2inyIS-nWM8aTy_0CmRc3fKCbUo7WvV63C6HtQFSJnsJ1RvCQLj9Kb0UroI_QqBXgI7ppLU8H/s1600/Colored+archway.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzq0uh49gceKciNv_Rwx7FIMkN6uxxEHuXZNEjCVEkWCWgLvw0XSKANfFojTXYWHpvfa2inyIS-nWM8aTy_0CmRc3fKCbUo7WvV63C6HtQFSJnsJ1RvCQLj9Kb0UroI_QqBXgI7ppLU8H/s1600/Colored+archway.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The Egypt of today is a surreal dichotomy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s once profoundly rich and powerful
civilization led by virile pharaohs contrasts mightily with the economic and
political- breakdown of the leaderless Egypt of today. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QygWt95gcIi_fNFBBVvAuF-riynX6U4gEErg7lAsephadwtmRYi7cGwUGVDSPDmu0LvhD8C9AfT1n8H-uT3dY80aaFkShEzehX6iXTcN07iiawvpv-KCHwHL7bzIaUQRLGSgb1IN_abi/s1600/20131019_124337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QygWt95gcIi_fNFBBVvAuF-riynX6U4gEErg7lAsephadwtmRYi7cGwUGVDSPDmu0LvhD8C9AfT1n8H-uT3dY80aaFkShEzehX6iXTcN07iiawvpv-KCHwHL7bzIaUQRLGSgb1IN_abi/s1600/20131019_124337.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWrHz8T2MVWfOCnXLBOrmLWpJkxPPIO7pXKZ_n_imsTmfhQUTFY92eVqoB0shyphenhyphen9AGm-Fvq-xee3X8z_QBwa56TYmjKvEUn5gIvRGDuY5zkwheClnsH1L5zoMAl3m5oW0hFBY0b0ISWwcY/s1600/AbuSir.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWrHz8T2MVWfOCnXLBOrmLWpJkxPPIO7pXKZ_n_imsTmfhQUTFY92eVqoB0shyphenhyphen9AGm-Fvq-xee3X8z_QBwa56TYmjKvEUn5gIvRGDuY5zkwheClnsH1L5zoMAl3m5oW0hFBY0b0ISWwcY/s1600/AbuSir.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Today, Egypt’s unemployment is at over <a href="http://www.tradingeconomics.com/egypt/unemployment-rate">13%</a> (locals
say it’s much higher) and where much of the population live at 3rd world
poverty level, save for tiny pockets of lux havens for the elite few in Cairo,
Alexandria, Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. Income inequality and corruption is
equal, if not worse than in most other third world countries across the globe. <o:p></o:p></div>
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On our way to visit the pyramids at Giza, kids suddenly
surround the taxi driving us down the old Pyramids Road no more than 13 years
of age, tapping on the car’s windows in an attempt to get money or “baksheesh”
from us. Our driver exclaims apologetically, “They are starving!” in a spurt of
honesty that was so heart felt, it rang in my ears, creating an instant empathy
for their condition. Being Cuban and having visited my country several times,
parallels were instantly drawn in my mind of how far a failed government can
drag down it’s own people, forcing them to be capable of anything in an effort
to survive. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Even though Egypt’s people are in dire need, the country is
very safe to visit. Tourists are always treated with kindness and appreciation.
It’s an unspoken rule to treat tourist’s well but every now and then you will
get a character that won’t take “no, thank you” for an answer and a “baksheesh”
of about 10 Egyptian pounds ($1.44 US) usually satisfies them. Egypt’s economy
is heavily reliant on tourism and the revolution has taken a toll on the
tourism industry, which has slowed down since 2011 to a complete halt. <o:p></o:p></div>
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However, since the revolution erupted in 2011, tourism has
come to a virtual standstill, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that
at many of the sites we visited, we were the only American tourists around.
Whenever we were asked the mandatory question: “Where are you from?” our
response was always greeted with “Ah, America…good people!” Thankfully, <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou,
announced on Oct 2, that 13 countries have now lifted travel bans to Egypt. The
latest two countries, Austria and Ireland, lifted bans to holiday destinations
in the Red Sea and South Sinai more recently.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I am visiting Egypt to interview the recently removed Dr. Zahi
Hawass from his beloved post as Secretary General of the SCA (Supreme Council
of Antiquities). Mr. Hawass<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>agreed to
the interview since the request came from his longtime friend and trusted gal-pal,
Mary Lomando, whom he met in Cairo over 20 years ago while she was completing
her degree as an Egyptologist in Cairo. Mary is a seasoned tour leader and owner
of <a href="http://www.pachaterra.com/1_front.html">Pacha Terra Travel</a>.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>Zahi has
learned to be discerning with regards to whom he will grant interviews these
days, and for good reason. He has grown weary of being maligned by the media
and his fellow countrymen due to his past cabinet ministry appointment by
deposed President, Hosni Mubarak.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rGZPbMIEM39DUvSvSsDRNiHG4vppd5WcJq1WuhDnHt0NxnFpJwDZWa0xmq19imnphuKwfbIGfLk48_bHMwCpxXGw7zWu73nyW9IUNaBZp0f8BkrjvyJ_W-xNBku12bdmsKkvWu0bT6Id/s1600/ZahiHawass-MaryLomando.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rGZPbMIEM39DUvSvSsDRNiHG4vppd5WcJq1WuhDnHt0NxnFpJwDZWa0xmq19imnphuKwfbIGfLk48_bHMwCpxXGw7zWu73nyW9IUNaBZp0f8BkrjvyJ_W-xNBku12bdmsKkvWu0bT6Id/s1600/ZahiHawass-MaryLomando.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The people of Egypt found Zahi an easy target, and he inevitably
became a scapegoat for their frustration with anything to do with Mubarak’s
regime. Even though all the trumped up charges of corruption against Hawass
have since been dropped due to lack of evidence to support the claims, some
still try to malign his good work. Love him, or hate him, Dr. Hawass has done
more for restoring the sites of Egypt, preserving its antiquities and
announcing new discoveries than any other archaeologist in recent history. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In Zahi’s words, “If anyone were to ask what my religion
was, I would answer my religion is to train other archaeologists to be better
archaeologists than I was!” He has written or co-written over 60 books on Egyptian
archaeology, chock full of new insights and discoveries recently documented.
These books have been published worldwide, and his wish of training
archaeologists to be better than him has already come to fruition. Many people
don’t even know he started off as a teacher. Before he became an inspector for
the SCA, Mr. Hawass taught Egyptian archaeology, history and culture at the
American University in Cairo and the University of California, Los Angeles in
1988. Through his books and his public speaking events, he has educated and
informed armies of closet archaeologists and archaeologists in training alike
to appreciate humanity’s fascinating past, reinforcing the notion that it is
not about the gold but more the treasure of the information gleaned from these
artifacts that tell the “story of us”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Zahi’s top projects completed
during his tenure as Minister:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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*Starting 24 new museums across the country. Of the 24, six
have been completed. The rest are still under construction.<o:p></o:p></div>
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*The complete restoration of the Serapeum and reinforcing
the Step pyramid at Saqqara.<o:p></o:p></div>
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*SETI I tomb- tunnel excavation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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*Renovation of the conservation lab at the Egyptian Museum.<o:p></o:p></div>
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*Stabilization of the stepped pyramid at Saqqara.<o:p></o:p></div>
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*Luxor Museum extension.<o:p></o:p></div>
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*Restoration of the Sphinx and enclosure.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Archaeological sites of Egypt are unbelievably empty of
tourists where they were almost always full with rows of buses. These monuments
that symbolize the patrimony of humanity’s greatest achievements are barely
guarded and in some sites, no guards at all. They are in a shamefully neglected
condition, littered with animal dung, graffiti and trash. In contrast, the
ancient sites at Luxor are all still well maintained. It seems as if there is
more national pride for these sites there. The wave of Islamic extremist incidents
throughout the country, fueled by the Muslim Brotherhood haven’t helped matters
either. There have even been recent threats by one cleric to dismantle the
Pyramids and ancient temples as Islamic fundamentalism isn’t friendly at all to
secular archaeology, which highlights the accomplishments of another belief
system, even though it is no longer worshipped by Egyptians today. The current
Minister of the SCA- <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Mohamed Abdel
Fattah,</span> was appointed by recently ousted President Morsi, so it remains
to be seen if he will protect and restore Egypt’s heritage as fervently as Dr.
Hawass.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is the sad state of an Egypt stuck in the grips of a
slow-boil revolution. The reports of looting have leaked out from independent
sources but there isn’t much actual data or an official account yet of what has
gone missing. Egypt’s National Museum in Malawi, was looted and vandalized in August
of this year by local Muslim extremists and many artifacts, even wooden
sarcophagi were hacked to pieces with axes. A public auction of 126 recently looted
antiquities was stopped in Jerusalem, so there is evidence that many
antiquities are being smuggled out through Egypt’s porous borders.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary and I visited
Saqqara and the Abu Sir pyramids area the day before meeting with Dr. Hawass
and reported to him that the replica, full-size statue of King Djoser sitting
inside his serdab enclosure was moved out of line in a failed looting attempt.
Most looters are not educated enough to know it is a replica. The representation
for the ancient king now sits in wait, no longer aligned and blocked from his
line of sight to the stars. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sarah Parcak, a space archaeologist has used satellite
imagery to calculate the extent of the looting epidemic since the revolution
and she estimates it has increased 500%. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">* Has the
situation with looting since the revolution, been secured? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zahi - “The current
situation is a disaster for Egypt and particularly in Abu Sir there are illegal
excavations everywhere!” The holes that Sarah Parcak is talking about are what
looters leave behind and are not always accurate indicators of looting. These looters
dig hundreds of exploratory holes and are mostly failed attempts. They dig for
two things; gold and the myth of the healing red mercury that supposedly exists
in the throats of the mummies, which sometimes fetch high prices on the
medicinal black market. There is no such liquid. I have never seen it. It
doesn’t exist!”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Zahi is one of the few things about Egypt that wasn’t
broken. Since he was removed from his enamored post, the country has revolted
again and removed another leader deemed useless to improve the country’s
paralysis. Zahi sees himself not as a media personality but as a guardian of
Egypt’s rich heritage. So much so, his older, original website was <a href="http://www.guardians.net/">http://www.guardians.net</a>. At the start of the
revolution in January 2011, Zahi took a big risk by forming a human chain with
other Egyptians in the streets in front of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo to prevent
protesters from storming the museum. This brave act was not reported by any
media source. <o:p></o:p></div>
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While in his post he was responsible for the repatriation of
over 5000 artifacts from museums all over the world. The New York Metropolitan
Museum cooperated with Zahi in returning 19 artifacts from King Tut’s tomb. His
controversial move to block France from digging at Saqqara for the first time
in history until the Louvre returned the five fragments of the Tetiky frescoes
stolen from the West Bank in Luxor was his boldest move. “A bomb dropped at the
Louvre when I stopped the French from digging at Saqqara,” His bravado worked
and all the frescoes were returned. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">* We watched
a documentary on our flight here on an Air France plane and it was reporting on
your successful negotiations for the return of the Tetiky frescoes and the
Ramses mummy. Is there any progress or updates to your efforts to have Egyptian
artifacts returned to their homeland, such as the famed bust of Nefertiti or
the Dendera zodiac?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zahi – “There is no
progress after years of stalled negotiations and the new Minister of the SCA
has sadly and unbelievably publicly declared he does not want Nefertiti returned
to Egypt!” <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">* What are the top most
important artifacts you feel should be returned to their home in Egypt?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zahi-<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Statue of
Ramses II in Turin, Italy.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Statue of
the architect, Hemiunu of the Great Pyramid at the </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Hildesheim's Pelizaeus
Museum</span>.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Bust of Prince Ankhhaf</span> at the
Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dendera
Zodiac from the Louvre. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rosetta
stone from the British Museum.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bust of
Nefertiti in the Berlin Neues Museum.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">*What is the status
of the accusations and charges on your contracts with National Geographic and
Discovery Channel?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zahi - “All the
charges have been dropped from lack of evidence of wrongdoing. I negotiated
those projects based on what best offer of help they would provide for the
benefit of Egypt. The National Geographic video was very successful for them
and in return, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo received a 3 million dollar CT scan
machine that is in use to this day and bringing to light many more insights and
discoveries about the Pharaohs and their families. All the funds paid by the
Discovery Channel went straight to the Egyptian antiquities department. The Tut
exhibit earned 125 million dollars for a new room inside the Grand Egyptian
Museum in Giza, now under construction. These contracts were all approved beforehand
by the Mubarak regime and were totally transparent.”</i></div>
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Egypt’s mega-project of its new <a href="http://www.gem.gov.eg/">Grand Egyptian Museum</a> in Giza promises to be
Egypt’s crown jewel just a mile away from the pyramids. Giza’s skyline is
dotted with so many cranes; it looks as if they were constructing a new
pyramid. A large sign with red LED numbers in front of the site show a
countdown of 622 days. This is a running joke for locals who claim the
countdown is in years, not days.</div>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">*Do you have
any information or updates on the new Cairo museum that was supposed to be
completed within the next two years (625 days)?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zahi – “Construction work
is ongoing but very slow, as they need about 700 million dollars to complete
the construction of this massive museum. With the current instability, who
knows when that will be completed.” <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Zahi’s dream to do the work that still needs to be done to
complete his vision for the antiquities department has been blocked but that
won’t stop him from making new discoveries and continuing to be an Egyptologist.
He is resigned to fill his days organizing speaking tours in the US and book signings
in Geneva, Poland and London beginning November 5<sup>th</sup>, to promote his
latest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/977416637X/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Discovering Tutankhamen: From Howard Carter to DNA</span></i></a>.
He is also currently completing another book on the DNA research findings with
the royal mummies at the Cairo museum. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">*If it were
offered to you again, would you want your old job back? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zahi - “No! Not in the
current state Egypt is in. If there is no stability and Egypt is not brought
back to a normal working condition, I would be useless and unable to perform my
job well!” <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Zahi’s passion seems to rest not in carrying a title but in
being able to effect change and fulfill his personal mission as a guardian of
Egypt’s heritage. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">*What are the
discoveries you'd like to make or witness on your bucket list? Has the
departure from your post diminished your desire to uncover more history
changing discoveries? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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He replies, without missing a beat, rattling off all the
discoveries he would like to still make.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zahi - “The tomb of
Nefertiti, the tomb of the great Imhotep and finally find the answer to what is
behind Gantenbrink’s door inside the Great Pyramid. I believe Imhotep may be
buried in an unexcavated area on the west side of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. They
have already found a 2<sup>nd</sup> dynasty tomb underneath the Step Pyramid. </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Senenmut</span>,
the architect of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari was buried near her mortuary
temple there. This leads me to believe that Imhotep mirrored this same act of
reverence near King Djoser’s Step Pyramid at Saqqara since he was architect of
that pyramid.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">*</b><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Any updates on the search for Cleopatra
in Alexandria?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Zahi – “Dr. Kathleen Martinez unearthed a marble bust of
Cleopatra and 22 coins with her image at a small cemetery inside the Ptolemaic
temple at Taposiris Magna in Alexandria, some time ago. Unfortunately, that
mystery still remains unsolved after more than 5 years of digging and the
excavations at the site are ongoing with Dr. Martinez.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">*</b><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Are you opposed to using new technologies
to make new discoveries easier? (LIDAR satellite imaging, Ground penetrating
radar, etc).</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“These technologies are
all wonderful but first of all, Egypt is filled with ancient sites, there are
sites everywhere! The problem is these new technologies are incompatible with
the current state of Egypt today. You find a site and it is reported but then
who can we assign to protect it from looting and excavate it properly? There aren’t
enough resources for the discovery of so many sites when the existing ones
haven’t been properly secured and restored yet. You need a good and stable
government for that!”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">* Zahi sympathizes
with the condition of his country and when asked who he would like to see as
next president he replied, <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zahi - “Whoever the
people elect, that leader must be very strong and determined to make changes
quickly. There are so many people that haven’t worked in three years. The
situation is terrible!”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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In a country where a smaller-than-America’s-1% are
successful and nothing works, Zahi’s effectiveness and public persona was an
obvious, yet ironic target for criticism. He essentially gained too much
notoriety for doing too much and being too good at his job. Such is the
revolutionary mob mentality in a country where so few have and the vast
majority has not. If the income inequality gap in America continues to widen at
the pace it has since the recession, we might not be too far behind the
Egyptian example. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The statue of King Djoser’s sight to the stars being blocked
by looters is a sobering metaphor for the people of Egypt who also seem to be currently
blocked from seeing their way out of their current predicament. No one we have
talked to even knows when the next election will take place. Some say possibly next
summer, and others fear a third revolution if it doesn’t happen soon. The
potential for peace and a new Egypt is within the country’s grasp, the
Egyptians just don’t know how to do it without an effective leader strong
enough to right all the wrongs of the past. These are a people that haven’t had
a democratically elected president for 5000 years. The process will take time.
If they can achieve this is anyone’s guess. In the meantime, the Sphinx and her
three brothers stand as timeless<span style="color: red;"> </span>sentinels
waiting for Egypt’s glory to return.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPBwV1f2uK3aEuFxLzXnzFSB2_pmdQ1tKykQ_yW1zqAu-6x3CJi31SFqs9cdyJxOzwP-Oh7VZ97Rol2NM0evxMveMAhddcxWWc5fLHWSITmAILmOQ7nT8dP6-9vHpuXwnIhkt9SDM5rv5/s1600/IMG_6364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPBwV1f2uK3aEuFxLzXnzFSB2_pmdQ1tKykQ_yW1zqAu-6x3CJi31SFqs9cdyJxOzwP-Oh7VZ97Rol2NM0evxMveMAhddcxWWc5fLHWSITmAILmOQ7nT8dP6-9vHpuXwnIhkt9SDM5rv5/s1600/IMG_6364.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The published post of this blog can be viewed here on <a href="http://anthrojournal.com/issue/october-2011/article/the-once-and-future-egypt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">AnthroJournal site</span></a>. </div>
Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-51250993741469053292013-11-28T14:00:00.000-05:002014-01-17T21:55:56.486-05:00Crystal Skulls - 101 Primer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3GlrgkANfNZn5ipgHZZA6fZvQCdaDDi2_epKHQWf8o3bBGMCH0TnW4MrIahbWL3_aUfBP5aQWcakRg2lkWr7DxlZfu3rR5X2yNgzZxISNSp3_eD7n87bAz2DKCmU261_HlSEXZfEc-Gk/s1600/mewxico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3GlrgkANfNZn5ipgHZZA6fZvQCdaDDi2_epKHQWf8o3bBGMCH0TnW4MrIahbWL3_aUfBP5aQWcakRg2lkWr7DxlZfu3rR5X2yNgzZxISNSp3_eD7n87bAz2DKCmU261_HlSEXZfEc-Gk/s400/mewxico.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I apologize for my longest hiatus from the blogosphere. I've been completely consumed with completing and editing my latest fictional story; an existential adventure for young adults in the hopes that I'll actually make a career of my writing. Blogging, being a labor of love and pro-bono activity required me to shelf it in order to make time to actually produce a quality, fully revised and an as-perfect-as-it's-gonna-get manuscript for publishing. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fresh from the book expo
2013 and pitching to overworked, jaded agents and hard to reach publishers to
sell my latest book; the Mysterious Disappearance of Colby Blue. I arrive
in Mexico City exhausted from the whole New York, sell-myself experience and
with my seeds planted for my last book to hopefully find a home with a
publisher. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mexico City’s sky is
covered with a cashmere blanket of brown and gray smog, peepholes of
blue sky peeking through the mist. My trip begins with my heart beating fast
from the smog, elevation and excitement to start researching for my next
archaeology based book series.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I grab my bags and roll
into a cab to traverse the traffic in the world's top ten most populous city.
The same city that was home to one of the largest and highest civilizations of
the ancient world- Tenochtitlan, until Spanish Catholics came and flattened it,
all in the name of their God, oh and for gold, lots of it. The only structures
left of this Venice of the New World are underneath the Plaza Mayor where a
huge church was plopped right on top the main pyramids inside the Aztecs
ancient center. (Catholics did this everywhere they conquered the indigenous
religions). </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmL3jdqLQTjPC5blM5Ks2GcgZ1qWCh_1lCIm8Yoa_BPNQV580bgQfUE-whBS6XNdABGjdZElG3h9ba6tRY0Jet46rxDxGxcVWVljc_BS34jimDbdpEe-kC4xIw88h5_-yBRn5-GTARUMot/s1600/Tenochtit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmL3jdqLQTjPC5blM5Ks2GcgZ1qWCh_1lCIm8Yoa_BPNQV580bgQfUE-whBS6XNdABGjdZElG3h9ba6tRY0Jet46rxDxGxcVWVljc_BS34jimDbdpEe-kC4xIw88h5_-yBRn5-GTARUMot/s400/Tenochtit.JPG" height="165" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I came to this
un-environmentally friendly city of smog and dust to discover and look with new
eyes, seeking evidence in the ancient sites with the <a href="http://www.crystalskulls.com/events/121212/miami.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Oracle Stone Productions</span></a> tour group.
I had previously attended their event at the Miami circle for 12/12/12 hosted by a Mayan
shaman. A reunion of the "authentic" crystal skulls that have been
discovered all over the world and currently in the hands of their caretakers were the main draw.
The skulls were placed in the center of the Miami Circle, which is Miami's
oldest and enigmatic structure carved into the limestone bedrock, surrounded by
high-rise condos in Downtown Miami. The plot of land was thankfully rescued and purchased
by the city from a condo developer after it was discovered to be the oldest
known native Indian site in all of Florida. There were hundreds of spiritually
minded individuals that came to feel if there was anything to this whole Mayan-calendar-ending brouhaha. According to spiritualists, it is the beginning of a <span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://danamrkich.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/for-anyone-still-asking-when-is.html?m=1"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">new cycle</span></a></span> and the beginning of the dying off of old
energetic templates that have kept this planet vibrating at a lower level. Now
whether you believe in any of this or not, my friends and I definitely felt
"something" during the 12/12/12 meditation in Miami, led by Mayan
shaman, Flor De Mayo. It was a strong, swirling vortex of energy coming from
the middle of the ancient circle and seemingly wrapped all of us up inside a
palpable, feel-good energy. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Flor De Mayo declared that
it was an opening of a portal between this dimension of ours and other higher
ones. She proclaimed that this new era of Earth's existence would be of a
higher vibration than the previous one, aiding us to speed up our evolutionary
process in the next 5 years, give or take a year. Now, I am sure you are
saying to yourself by now, "<span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_skull"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">crystal skulls</span></a></span>? You mean like Indiana Jones?” yeah, those crystal
skulls. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The producers of Indiana
Jones actually investigated the whole mystery before bastardizing the
whole shebang for a quick buck. They visited with one of the authentic, ancient
skulls named Max, in order to research the stories that have swirled around
these enigmatic objects. Max was made in the image of a human skull and purported to
have all kinds of unexplainable properties. In the end, the producers sold out
in order to make a blockbuster film and now many are left thinking that the
whole mystery is just made up nonsense -more disinformation, courtesy of
Hollywood.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Back to Mexico City; I met
in our hotel lobby with the tour group. We were a motley crew of
serious researchers and believers of alternate histories that had come from
all points in the globe -America, Switzerland and South Africa. These
individuals were all open to the possibility Atlantis may have once existed and
that Atlantean refugees settled here after their wondrous, advanced culture was
swallowed up by the sea, and reborn in different points all over the globe;
Peru, Mexico, Egypt and Japan, to name a few. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I soon learned why this
group of passionately curious believers got so curious. Like a group of mutant
X-men we all shared our fascinating and surreal stories of how we came to be in
this place doing what so few dare to do, challenge our spoon-fed history and
attempt to get at the truth. Our life experiences shape who we are and what
motivates us and this group had clearly seen too much of the other side to go
back to a life of wearing blinders, selectively ignoring the unexplained dark
corners of "reality" as we know it. No one would pass quick judgment
or question anyone's sanity here. We were amongst like-minded individuals. We were here to share theories and study artifacts to possibly find some answers to the questions that our "history" left out. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This was a joining of the minds in an objective, non-judgmental arena with an
exceptional, ardently passionate group of knowledgeable researchers with real
jobs. There were psychologists, closet archaeologists, a medium that has worked
with police departments to solve kidnappings and crimes, a film producer and a
writer (yeah that's me). We had one common bond; united in our belief that
there's more to the "story of us" that we have been told and were
brave and awake enough to go on this unconventional quest to find some answers
to those burning questions kept secreted away in our minds. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We wanted to know
the real story behind these crystal skulls, behind these highly advanced
ancient people and answer the burning question of what the ancients meant when
they described Teotihuacan in ancient codices as a place "where men became
gods".</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILa-zK8cZVtuC7tbHaPuH3S-nGI4a6AaddPH92gDKRMtO4x2sDahgYOKIny3qmhHamsFr11P8s6dm9XFfDZsesxA-KoS1EBZB6hasBZ3JtdUUlXUU53SDJtQJAuEWBie-vs2bdxwRumsN/s1600/TeoMencalledGods.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILa-zK8cZVtuC7tbHaPuH3S-nGI4a6AaddPH92gDKRMtO4x2sDahgYOKIny3qmhHamsFr11P8s6dm9XFfDZsesxA-KoS1EBZB6hasBZ3JtdUUlXUU53SDJtQJAuEWBie-vs2bdxwRumsN/s320/TeoMencalledGods.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This group led by Ken
Morgan met with Diego Rosales, a friend and fellow muralist that worked
alongside Diego Rivera (Frida Kahlo's husband). We were invited to Diego's home
to discuss his theories and decades long research of the possibility that the
Aztecs were seeded and/or inspired by Atlantean refugees and that they probably
used these crystal skulls that have been found in ancient sites all over the
world much as we use smart phones, to connect them to other worlds and/or dimensions. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We all shared the belief that the skulls are some sort of space-age computer
that may still hold volumes of information that our current civilization
doesn't know how to extract or read, at least not yet. These may seem to be
lofty claims but if you look at how these skulls were made, there is evidence
that they were extremely important because of the advanced knowledge and labor
it took to create so many of them. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Firstly, the rarity of
finding quartz crystals or other crystals (crystal skulls are made of
different, semi precious stones) of such size and to cut them against the grain
of the crystal which with normal tools would shatter them in an instant with
one slight of hand. Using their supposed primitive tools it would have taken
them roughly 300 years of delicate man hours to make even one of them. Of
course, the "establishment"or archaeologists not courageous enough to break rank, have all shrugged them off as simple
fakes. Some of them out there indeed, are. Yet, there are hoards of
learned men and women who believe that there is more to this story and that
some of these skulls scattered across the globe are authentic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am one of those people
and in my search for the truth, had the good fortune to sit with <span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/13/indiana-jones-crystal-skull_n_876127.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">Max</span></a></span> about a year before this trip. Max is one
of the known, authentic crystal skulls made of pure quartz.
Reportedly, it was found inside an ancient Mayan tomb underneath a temple in
Guatemala. I met with his charming keeper; Jo Ann Parks and she told me that
priests used him for rituals and healings. She had received the precious skull from a <a href="http://www.crystalskulls.com/max-crystal-skull.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Tibetan Lama named Norbu</span></a>, whom she knew after he opened a healing center in Texas. He passed it to her just before his death.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to Jo Ann, Max and <a href="http://www.shanaracrystalskull.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Sha-Na-Ra</span></a> were analyzed by the Smithsonian with electron microscopes and could not date either skull because of the way they were constructed. Sha-Na-Ra from one solid piece and Max made up of 5 different pieces which makes it virtually impossible to carve without shattering. Out of the 8 crystal skulls that have been researched properly only 2 in the world were unable to be dated. Those are Max and Sha-Na-Ra. A new form of dating is currently being completed at <a href="http://www.ancient-code.com/12-facts-about-puma-punku/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Puma Punku</span></a> using a new technology called Cosmogenic dating to date when the stone was actually machined. The funding for this re-dating of Puma Punku stone was raised through an online crowd-funding, <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/cosmogenic-dating-of-megaliths-at-puma-punku?c=activity"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Indiegogo campaign</span></a> (power of the people). New technologies may soon help us discover the true dates of these ruins that are as enigmatic as the crystal skull phenomena. </span></div>
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Max was very much "alive" when I sat with him and the medium. I didn't have an electromagnetic testing device but our bodies can be effective devices for testing energy fluctuations. Running my fingers over the skull's exterior, I could feel a very fine electrical vibration as you do when you touch those electrified globes that make your hair stand on end at any given science museum. Only thing is; this object is a big hunk of quartz with no wires, plug or battery. It made me feel strange but comfortable, like sitting next to Einstein, it instilled awe in me. I can only prove what I felt and what the medium told me it communicated to me. It predicted many things that to this day are still happening. Max sent a message via the medium, for me to stop smoking anything at all because it clouds the connection between this world and others and prevents guides from communicating to us. I have quit since then and my creativity has definitely gotten more clear and in high-def since that opportune, unforgettable meeting. The medium informed me that Max was very "chatty" with me, more so than with the other private sittings that night. Who knows, maybe that sitting inspired me to take this trip and eventually write this story? Maybe this was all Max's doing and I'm just a puppet on an inter-dimensional string?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VQ_9khaQLL3N7iDUi3CHgxWtVUB8vhS5oeer8XfgA4TvakPKbxJU82t4wogrFsoyDJwtPyoInLUJEPgjkwrTPaELnpNtR74ZJLWg5M4V3WxaVMkiTkxrPVDoVCaQqScmLng_BjHBVG4i/s1600/TulaSkull.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0VQ_9khaQLL3N7iDUi3CHgxWtVUB8vhS5oeer8XfgA4TvakPKbxJU82t4wogrFsoyDJwtPyoInLUJEPgjkwrTPaELnpNtR74ZJLWg5M4V3WxaVMkiTkxrPVDoVCaQqScmLng_BjHBVG4i/s320/TulaSkull.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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Back to Diego Rosales' home in Mexico City, which looked like a <br />
mystical cave straight out of Lord of the Rings with honorable and sweet Diego as its keeper. The home was surrounded by greenery and literally built out of a rocky outcrop. It was filled with ancient artifacts given to him over the years by locals aware of his fascination with the ancients and his quest to research Atlantis.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJ2QHiYAhBbPlB9SEYqsYA02Wo7RhAoeaNDMS_MRDpWm18oZmCJc8vHJGtok-awkUOvOX7Y9saF8sVq2dH8KbSpcGTV9EUvKp-Esbec3DiGRSHP0RisOGOVj5Cvtl4K9zlemeoIWbSPFV/s1600/CrystalMaizeGodDiegoRosales.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJ2QHiYAhBbPlB9SEYqsYA02Wo7RhAoeaNDMS_MRDpWm18oZmCJc8vHJGtok-awkUOvOX7Y9saF8sVq2dH8KbSpcGTV9EUvKp-Esbec3DiGRSHP0RisOGOVj5Cvtl4K9zlemeoIWbSPFV/s320/CrystalMaizeGodDiegoRosales.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a>He had many crystal skulls and other artifacts on display. An unusual one made of a green stone was found by a road work worker in Tula, underneath a ceramic slab and given to him since the worker was a bit freaked out by the object. He also had a pure quartz crystal corncob with a maize god's carved onto it. Representatives from <a href="http://www.mna.inah.gob.mx/index.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">INAH's Museo Nacional de Antropologia</span></a> of Mexico City have come to catalog and note these artifacts but have allowed him to keep them inside his home until his death.<br />
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The large crystal skulls, crystal corn cob and monkey figurine inside Diego's home were looted by locals underneath a mountaintop temple near Taxco in the valle de los reyes which in English is translated as the Valley of the Kings (sound familiar?). These unverified artifacts were all found buried with a skeleton of a very important ancient shaman or leader. It must have been part of his treasure or what was most important to him as is with most burials. Locals looted the hidden burial chamber and it's artifacts given to Diego years later. Assuredly any gold artifacts were sold off illegally. There isn't any demand in the black market for these skulls, which many locals believe to be enchanted or bad luck. No archaeologists have excavated or documented the location of the temple and Diego has formally requested for the government to build a road in order to make it an official site for tourists to visit. <br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;">The problem with lack of
funds to secure so many sites is a constant barrier to properly researching
them. The problem isn't only confined to Mexico, but a worldwide dilemma. As
economies worsen, looters get more brazen and have better technology to clean
them out before the slow, bureaucratic machine of scientific study can. This is
happening in Iraq, Egypt, China and Afghanistan as well, to this day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Until then, these skulls
and artifacts lie silently waiting in Diego's museum home for the day when a
new breed of archaeologist, scientist or engineer with an open mind and new
tools sensitive enough to study what they were really used for. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When Ken and I, as translator, asked to visit with an archaeologist at the National
Museo de Antropologia I thought to myself, knowing well Mexico's infamous
bureaucratic hurdles, "we'll never get to see this man,” After about 30
minutes of polite urging and many excuses given, we were able to meet with one
of the museum's staff archaeologists. I was dumbfounded. The gentleman was open
and receptive. Ken and I were after all, archaeologists and colleagues. As Ken
began to ask the man about the crystal skulls, I clenched my teeth in fear he
would call security to kick us out for being crackpots. Again, as if by magic,
he didn't. He openly discussed awareness of them and was aware of Diego's
collection and of others found throughout the country but explained that the
museum is overwhelmed with so many thousands of sites not even secured, their
resources and budgetary constraints can't keep up with all the material there
is to study. Crystal skulls are sadly at the bottom of their list. He explained
that the museum only has one small one about 2 inches tall on display in one of
its galleries at the museum. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ken proceeded to show him a
very unusual skull with a snake wrapped atop it's subject, reminiscent of an
Egyptian cobra <span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uraeus"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">uraeus</span></a></span> worn by their Pharaohs. It
seemed to have been carved out of a brown jade type of material. Ken explained
that he was present when local men brought it out of an underground chamber
found in Yucatan jungle near Cancun. There was also a hoard of colonial era,
Spanish gold coins. It was likely a cache of Spanish treasure from a
conquistador or of a Mayan leader that had stolen or traded the gold during his
lifetime and stashed it there for safekeeping. Ken asked if the museum would be
interested in acquiring the strange skull for study and he declined saying
there was no budget for that. Although he was open to discuss the crystal
skulls and confirm their existence in the ancient record, for whatever reason
he seemed to have a "hands-off" approach to seeking them out for the
museum's collection. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He was however, nice enough
to connect us with the archaeologist heading up current excavations under the <span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/03/teotihuacan-orbs-temple-mexico_n_3202074.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent</span></a></span> in Teotihuacan. Recent exciting discoveries using a
remote-controlled rover device have confirmed three large chambers underneath
the Pyramid that date to one of the earliest layers of the city's first
inhabitants. One chamber has a fascinating collection of over 100 pyrite orbs
scattered on its floor and its walls were covered with a powder made of
magnetite, pyrite and hematite. Archaeologists don't have a clue as to what the
minerals were used for. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Science tells us that <span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM61/AM61_248.pdf"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">pyrite is a semiconductor</span></a></span> of electricity. <a href="http://www.gizapyramid.com/bio-dunn.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Christopher Dunn's</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> </span>observations of the Great Pyramid at Giza and it's salt coated chamber walls
explain how the whole structure was not a tomb but used as a power plant to
harness microwave energy. Is it possible that the ancients knew how to harness
earth energy and create electricity? If Tesla was able to discover wireless
electricity then yes, it is certainly possible these crafty ancients did as
well. The Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan has been found to contain thick
slabs of Mica; in it's upper layers. Today, most of the slabs have been removed
from looting decades ago. Mica is naturally found about 2000 kilometers away in
Brazil. Like the monolithic, blue stones from Stonehenge and red granite blocks
from Aswan, used inside the great pyramid, all were imported from great
distances at a great expense and human labor. There must have been a very
important reason aside from decorative or spiritual to use these materials.
They could have just painted images or used plentiful local stones for their
structures. Mica is also related to electricity in that it is used in wiring
today as an <span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://www.wirecableinsulation.com/lp/mica/mica.aspx?gclid=CMbS0omR8roCFeHm7AodrWIAvQ"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">insulator</span></a></span>. Obviously, more studies are needed to investigate
the possibility that the ancients knew how to harness and use electricity. It
will take a pioneering archaeologist that doesn't fear ridicule to take a stand
and lead a study on this. </span></div>
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Arriving in the ancient city of <a href="http://www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_7.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Teotihuacan</span></a>, in our bus-full-of-believers we arrived at the exact moment when workers were finishing welding shut the entrance to the subterranean tunnels. As a result of recent excavations the tunnels became unstable and suffered a cave in, making it impossible to continue studies. The secrets sealed away from humanity yet again for several more years.</div>
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The subterranean chambers
hold the possibility of answering the question of who really built this ancient
city and sacred center. There is a possibility that one of the chambers holds a
burial of one of the founders of the city of Teotihuacan. No one knows for sure
who built this largest metropolis of the pre Columbian New World and one of
three largest cities in the entire world (Beijing, Rome are the other two). The
Aztecs and Toltecs, among many other civilizations re-used, rebuilt and
restored the site for they had a reverence for their inspirational
predecessors. Again, a parallel with Ancient Egypt and Peru's earlier sites
being built upon by later cultures is an obvious point to explore and study
further.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Teotih</span>uacan’s <a href="http://www.dartmouth.edu/~izapa/teotihuacan.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">astrologically aligned pyramids</span></a> have similarities with the astral alignment of the three pyramids at Giza. Like the Egyptians, the Maya had devised two calendars; one solar and one ritual, which interacted and depended upon one another for the dictation of certain ritual events to be carried out.</div>
<br />
Next stop on our quest was to visit what Diego Rosales believed to be the first point of settlement by Atlantean refugees fleeing their flooded world. Diego believed they came from the west somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean and settled in Cuicuilco and consequently built Mexico's only round pyramid built with four concentric bands or levels. The ancients referred to Cuicuilco as the "place of prayer" or "place of the rainbow".<br />
<br />
Diego walked with us to show the site and discuss ongoing excavations. He also showed us evidence that proves that the site was built upon a structure built thousands of years earlier than what is currently recorded. According to strata where the evidence or artifact was found you can definitively see that this outer structure was built upon another built much earlier. This marker was accidentally found by a rock vendor digging to collect volcanic rocks to sell at a local market. Stay tuned for my next book to find out more on what that evidence is. Diego's friend who is a local architect and surveyor and on the board of Cuicuilco's preservation society, used GPS to verify the stone marker was set in it's location and is marking true north. The artifact is still standing where it was planted over 20 feet below the level of the base of the existing pyramid, and not yet fully excavated. The official at the site explained it was discovered over 8 years ago and because of budgetary constraints, no further excavations have been made to locate what should be 3 other markers for the remaining cardinal points.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVR9Qy2KS6mb6vy979lX0Xunjv7r3WbFvhyphenhyphenE4QzLwfC0sC4DWi_hqnnFYBXxcH87QcMjCtchtI6zykF2DtD9lBwx8yb2rBrFXQR1tbPxzkmaXQ9DbCRfWP2NyJB2EEl46zPtI8wcceOHb/s1600/CuicuilcoPyramid.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVR9Qy2KS6mb6vy979lX0Xunjv7r3WbFvhyphenhyphenE4QzLwfC0sC4DWi_hqnnFYBXxcH87QcMjCtchtI6zykF2DtD9lBwx8yb2rBrFXQR1tbPxzkmaXQ9DbCRfWP2NyJB2EEl46zPtI8wcceOHb/s320/CuicuilcoPyramid.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a>Diego theorizes that after Cuicuilco was covered by lava by a volcanic explosion, these early peoples migrated across the lake and constructed Teotihuacan. They venerated the same god; the eldest creator god named <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huehueteotl"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Huehueteotl</span></a>. A representation of this god was recently <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb/14/world/la-fg-wn-mexico-firegod-pyramid-20130213"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">discovered</span></a> atop the pyramid at Teotihuacan and at Cuicuilco about 5 years ago. Excavations at Cuicuilco have proven there are successive layers beneath. The current excavation is digging down into the center of the structure. </div>
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Diego recounted that in 1922 an American archaeologist, <a href="http://www.philipcoppens.com/nap_art5.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Byron Cummings</span></a> came to excavate and study the unusual structured and reportedly retrieved ancient tablets found there with engravings similar to the white volcanic stone marker found decades later beneath current ground level.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3_1G-NnucPGcMMWGIg14OFx_HWdLx_9WPD_tAr0LK0NWznKd1zAQk36tR0fBXikENd9hyphenhyphen-nFSo2vMYjFFYMNOsdFLagUnpssCaGuAL4V1T0XtvFj7Z0oVHv_X2q4VVS60z3AEG0nEJuw/s1600/CuicuilcoAerialDiegoRosales.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3_1G-NnucPGcMMWGIg14OFx_HWdLx_9WPD_tAr0LK0NWznKd1zAQk36tR0fBXikENd9hyphenhyphen-nFSo2vMYjFFYMNOsdFLagUnpssCaGuAL4V1T0XtvFj7Z0oVHv_X2q4VVS60z3AEG0nEJuw/s320/CuicuilcoAerialDiegoRosales.JPG" height="320" width="259" /></a>According to Cummings this pyramid is not dated correctly. A specialist in stratigraphic layer dating would help pinpoint this date to a more accurate number. It has a potential of being the oldest pyramid in the world. Graham Hancock and Charles Hapgood have worked on this but failed to convince the scientific establishment of Cuicuilco's true age. </div>
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This marker, this one artifact, lying in wait, would prove without a doubt that this highly unusual, circular pyramid at Cuicuilco was built by people about the time Atlantis was sunk beneath the sea. Again, more serious study and funds are needed to uncover this piece to the puzzle to rewrite a truer "story of us". <br />
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Anyone with capital to fund a dig there can send me a message via this blog and I can connect him or her to the proper authorities in Mexico.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sun burned and almost
losing one of our team to heat stroke, we arrived back to our hotel. Ken asked
me to translate for a private meeting with two undisclosed individuals. They
turned out to be a newlywed couple, obviously very nervous when they opened what
they were carrying inside their bag. The husband was very upset and was asking
for help from Ken who is one of the few people on the planet with a good amount
of experience and knowledge of the subject of these skulls. I translated that
ever since they came into possession of the large crystal skull from a friend
of his mother whom is a spiritualist, strange things were happening that were
very upsetting to his wife, to the point of despair. Fearing criticism from
others, they had nowhere else to go to seek counsel on a topic that no
religious official or governmental authority would like to discuss, much less
give them advice on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apparently, the gentleman
that came into possession of the skull had two from a looter that found them in
an undisclosed "jungle" location in Mexico. That gentleman gave them
one of his skulls for some reason. Since looting is illegal in Mexico, this
added to the young couple's trepidation. The wife recounted that ever since her
husband became its caretaker, the skull would not let her sleep and seemed to
haunt her while asleep with voices and murmurs. The husband would have to put
it away inside their closet and covered with a dark velvet cloth. The murmurs
continued even after putting the skull away. They were at their wit's end. Ken
decided to call the medium; <span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://www.janedoherty.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">Jane Doherty</span></a></span> who has helped
police departments locate missing children and with solving crimes. The young
couple only told her that they need answers and that the skull seemed to have
it out for his wife. She instantly received information from the skull. She saw
that it was used in a temple in ancient times, in conjunction with another. She
said with baited breath; "He is looking for his other half". This
skull is a he and the other one was a she and that was why he was harassing the
young man's wife. The young man confessed to Jane that indeed there was another
skull and that his mother's friend still had it in his possession. Jane
recommended that he reunite the two, if not permanently, for them to at least
have visits with one another to quiet their love-torn skull. If this all sounds
surreal, it is. I was speechless witnessing this bizarre event. Some events in
life don't have logical explanations; again further study is required here to
determine what the heck is going on. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0MjBG7CV5aIT1bTugYEAN7u42vLLJQzK03F1E4U9xF_hjVbRFDgPegsWV2PPzE9YgZqKUDsFOSR5Nqd8q9S3EEI28xtQYjd6vHPBPPjsgz0v-5MIPAx19jqfndnwxYcnwytOH-D7wCHGG/s1600/crystalpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0MjBG7CV5aIT1bTugYEAN7u42vLLJQzK03F1E4U9xF_hjVbRFDgPegsWV2PPzE9YgZqKUDsFOSR5Nqd8q9S3EEI28xtQYjd6vHPBPPjsgz0v-5MIPAx19jqfndnwxYcnwytOH-D7wCHGG/s400/crystalpic.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Are these crystal skulls
imbued with spirits of men and women? Are they cell phones into other
dimensions? Are they just supercomputers from another time or place unknown to
us? Hey, my MacBook Pro performs hundreds of functions but without an AC
adaptor, is nothing but a pretty cool paperweight. Is there a missing part or
initiated high priest to make these things work to full capacity? If so, what
is it and where do we get the manual to get trained? </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One recent accidental
discovery can give us a clue. <span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://news.wsu.edu/2013/11/14/accidental-discovery-dramatically-improves-electrical-conductivity/#.UowGZI2d6eV"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">Washington State researchers</span></a></span> recently found that exposing a crystal of strontium
titanate to light increased it's electrical conductivity by 400 percent and
lasted for days after exposure to the light. <span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">Quartz</span></a></span> is a silicate material and
a carrier of frequency be it electrical or sound. Computer chips are primarily
made of Quartz and <span lang="ES-TRAD"><a href="http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/history/museum-making-silicon.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: orange;">hard drives</span></a></span> are partially made of this material. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalwwR2fXLFTcA1xIaMtKjRSv61AfncwtUxXl2vMIe7RHf7HUMlNrp8Qzk-g6QqeyLY4h5BsEPoG6Rbl8b4yFcP0J3R6PCVJIBN9EvMVQPfK3kCCognhRrVo4JeSABEcmrpmXdNjHTRG2C/s1600/facebook_-1488736540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgalwwR2fXLFTcA1xIaMtKjRSv61AfncwtUxXl2vMIe7RHf7HUMlNrp8Qzk-g6QqeyLY4h5BsEPoG6Rbl8b4yFcP0J3R6PCVJIBN9EvMVQPfK3kCCognhRrVo4JeSABEcmrpmXdNjHTRG2C/s1600/facebook_-1488736540.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All these are
intriguing dots to connect to get closer to answering what these crystal skulls
really are. Another recent discovery confirmed that <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=data-saved-quartz-glass-might-last-300-million-years"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">cubes of quartz</span></a> could be used to store and safe-keep exponentially larger amounts of data for a staggering 300 million years. Now, if i wanted to preserve important data for a long time I would put it somewhere that, A. would be safe and B. would last a long time. </span></div>
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So are these crystal skulls encrypted, super computers with a potential to advance our civilization by quantum leaps and bounds? It is within the realm of possibility. They say the obvious is invisible to the eye, maybe if we look at these things with new eyes we could re-a-lize the real-lies that have been told to us. It would help if mainstream archaeologists wouldn't snub their noses and dismiss these unexplained artifacts as all forgeries. No, they don't have to be "alien", although it is within the realm of possibilities. Atlantis could have existed just as once thought mythological Troy had. It is also, entirely possible that Atlanteans were more advanced than we can even imagine.</div>
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Is it just our ego that prevents us from believing we aren't the alpha-male of our evolutionary tree? <br />
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Whatever the case, in this new world unfolding, we need multi-disciplinary teams of engineers, anthropologists, scientists to cooperate and study all of the artifacts, even the out-of-place ones without any preconceived prejudices or hidden agendas.<br />
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We must sift through all the information from all sources available. Talk to tourist guides, locals, archaeologists, grave robbers, psychics, shaman, specialists or engineers in related trades, ancient scripts from old archives, libraries or museums; synthesize all the information, simmer it down to a reduction and apply a finely tuned bullshit filter, in order to get to some semblance of what the truth is. It is a lot of work but the rewards are life and history changing. A good start is to join think-tank groups like the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/Khemitology/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Khemit School of Ancient Wisdom</span></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/8640515501/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Megalithomania</span></a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suppressed-Histories-Archives/333661528320"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Suppressed Histories Archive</span></a> on Facebook to openly research and share ideas, theories or discoveries without fear of ridicule or criticism. If we all cooperate together we may just be able to find the true, corrected "story of us", possibly within this generation. <br />
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Every single one of us has a piece of the puzzle. We need to band together to find the answers. Maybe we'll find a cure for all of our top diseases or a new source of unlimited, sustainable and impact-free energy that could even save our world preventing us from the cause of demise of every known previous civilization on this planet; resource wars or environmental collapse. <br />
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We are in a new world where people are finally free to question all that we've been led to believe and make connections to make the revisions to our history, assuring it isn't made up of dogmatic fairy tales this time around. After all, history is written by the victors. <br />
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An open mind is essential in the process; maintaining awareness that true stories become legends and after hundreds of years retold, become myths. What we now call conspiracy theorists were called researchers in the past (Galileo). The negative moniker is yet another way for disinformation specialists or skeptics to discredit those that are seeking the uncomfortable truths of our age. The unifying factor is that we are all seeking the truth. The problem rests with those individuals or organizations that are not willing to see these new truths because they are in direct conflict with certain religious beliefs or existing set histories. <br />
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A hard reboot or re-configuring of the mind is required to conceptualize this new reality 2.0, which is being born before our eyes. The alternative history researchers are getting more organized, more serious, using better tools and are refusing to be shot down or discredited. In the end, science will prevail but good science requires serious study of all possibilities.<br />
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At the end of our tour, one of our group members asked Mr. Diego Rosales, "I know you have strong ideas of where we came from but where do you think we are going as a human race?"<br />
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Diego Rosales answered with the wisdom of decades of investigating and pondering humanity's origins - "Only where we deserve to go."<br />
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A poem written by a fifteenth century poet king from Texcoco, reminds us our fragile mortality in order to keep our bloated human egos in check.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic; line-height: 15px;"><strong>Even jade will shatter,</strong></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic; line-height: 15px;"><strong> Even gold will crush,</strong></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic; line-height: 15px;"><strong>Even quetzal plumes will tear.</strong></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; font-style: italic; line-height: 15px;"><strong>One does not live forever on this earth:</strong></span></span></div>
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<u><b>A summary of what we know today of the crystal skulls</b></u></div>
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<b>*The 13 original "master skulls" are where all the later skulls were made from. These skulls are believed to be over 25,000 years old, crafted using sonic vibrations in conjunction with other crystals to cut them by previous civilizations unknown today. They were discovered or passed on and reused by later peoples with some knowing how to harness their power but eventually the knowledge was lost and no longer passed on. This is the unverified story being circulated. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp28uSMo5n0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Bashar</span></a>, a well-known channel has also echoes this in his chanellings.<br /><br /> *They were important enough to carve using hard to find materials such as large, near flawless blocks of pure crystal. Some are human size and others smaller. Some have intricately carved removable and moveable jaws. They have no carbon so they cannot be dated using today's carbon 14 dating methods. They can be analyzed using expensive electron microscopes and possibly dated using new Cosmogenic dating of when they were machined.<br /><br /> *<a href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/the-truth-behind/galleries/the-truth-behind-the-crystal-skulls-pictures/at/crystal-skull-attached-to-eeg-machine-42279/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">EEG scans</span></a> have recorded no activity inside or on surface of one crystal skull tested. (That is assuming they operate on the same detectable brainwave activity as a human)<br /><br /> *The famous sleeping prophet <a href="http://www.ofspiritandsoul.com/skulls.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Edgar Cayce</span></a> reported there were an original 13 skulls created in Atlantis and later spread across the world as the survivors migrated and relocated across the globe. <br /><br /> *Of the many scattered around the globe two have been verified and not discredited by any institution- Max and <a href="http://www.crystalskulls.com/tibet-crystal-skull.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Amar</span></a>. In fact, the British Museum could not officially comment after studying Max, as they could not figure out how it was made without shattering, since it consisted of various crystal matrices. <br /><br /> *Toltec guide and shaman, <a href="http://gorilastours.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Gorila</span></a> reported seeing and touching an original ancient crystal skull kept secreted away in a cave near Teotihuacan and revered by local people and used in private shamanic rituals. <br /><br /> *<a href="http://www.crystalskulls.com/old-crystal-skull.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Three museums</span></a> of the world are known to have life-size crystal skulls on display: Paris' Musee de l'homme, the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. and the British Museum in London. Mexico City has one but it is only 2 inches high. <br /><br /> *Many strange events have been reported from a variety of individuals; visions of cities inside of the skulls, electrical anomalies, voices, premonitions, dreams with the skulls speaking after sitting with them, spontaneous healings, DNA activations, etc. <br /><br /> *They are reported to be able to transfer information from one skull to another, akin to Bluetooth or Bump (smart phone app) today.</b><br />
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Here is a fairly decent documentary to further research. Turn on your bullshit filter and decide for yourself what is the truth. It is a pretty good documentary but here are some tips to apply. When they compared the Mixtec goblet with the Mitchell-Hedges skull. #1 -comparing the Mixtec goblet with the crystal skull is an over reaching assumption, that they used the same tools or techniques. #2 -Just because one culture made crystal objects one doesn't mean the other culture had the same tools. We haven't found the tools yet, that doesn't mean they never existed. #3 -Mica slabs found at Teotihuacan came from over 2000 km away in Brazil. There are a series of poor arguments to discredit it except for the silicate coating but that could very well have been applied after it was found. The Crystal Skull community believes the Mitchell-Hedges skull to be a fake. They theorize it to be just an elaborate fairy tale from a father that loved practical jokes for his daughter on her 17th birthday.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Researchers at the University of Southampton have recently announced that they are able to store and retrieve huge amounts of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><a href="http://humansarefree.com/2014/01/5d-crystals-can-store-data-virtually.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HumansAreFree+%28Humans+Are+Free%29"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">five dimensional data on quartz crystals</span></a>.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></span></div>
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Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-18846702757986012582013-02-11T15:01:00.004-05:002013-07-23T14:44:52.936-04:00The State of Valentine's Day Today<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Valentine's day for many may feel like a heavy cross to carry alone. It may feel like a failure of sorts for many who are not in happy, intimate partnerships at the dawning of this holiday. Never mind, no need to fret, the choice is yours on how you will feel on this dreaded or anticipated day. I choose to dump this metaphorical cross into the heap of imposed-upon myths and create a sweeter reality. I've morphed into a Dharma Bum, channeling Jack Kerouac, placing myself inside a selectively celibate, monastically solitary state on Desolation peak.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kx9A_68e9vU/URgNmBFjnaI/AAAAAAAAJHA/yBQ2EQ9pN30/s1600/desolationPeak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kx9A_68e9vU/URgNmBFjnaI/AAAAAAAAJHA/yBQ2EQ9pN30/s320/desolationPeak.jpg" width="320" /></a><strong class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id" style="display: inline !important; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.25; margin-top: 3px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Be it love of self, love of another, or of African violets, the point on this Valentine's day should be to <u>be</u> love and not beat yourself up because you don't fit into the Hollywood version of it. Just switch off the circuit breaker labeled "poor me" and appreciate that you can still love anything at all and that your heart can still feel the strongest, most positive of human emotions.</span></strong></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">One of my modern-day guru's recently advised, "go where you feel safe, wherever that is", right now and find a quiet time to meditate, even if it's just for 3 minutes a day. I've chosen to take a month away from the world, trading one hedonistic beach paradise of South Beach, Miami for another more spiritually connected beach getaway in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. This "safe place" in this mid-point of life, is one of solitude, away from all the noise, it's one of self-enrichment, reading the books saved for months to read later, a place free of susceptibility to other's karmic plays upon my life.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">My sense of well-being free from the intricate, complicated, messy web of someone else's confusions. I am not jaded, I just no longer want to blindly jump in, immersing myself in the waters unless it's a crystal clear lake and can see the bottom. Instead of complicated and eccentric; simplicity and less insanity is now hot. I choose to live as Thoreau did upon Walden, reinforcing my self-reliance, no longer feeling a pang in my heart as I watch friends walk down the aisle to their gleaming brides or grooms. I prefer walking myself from one side of the gym to another, doing squats in kickboxing class, tightening my glutes in defiance of gravity and nature's quest to drop my ass towards the floor.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">We've all heard the saying ad nauseaum, "you can't love yourself until you love yourself" and it may seem like I'm reiterating the obvious, beating a dead horse or repeating a cliché' but very few people really understand what that age-old quote truly means. I am not undermining the value of love for others, am only trying to broaden it's definition. We have forgotten so many other "loves" in this obsessive quest of finding a husband or wife. What about the love for your fellow man or the love for the Earth's fast depleting soil, water and land, or <a href="http://www.takepart.com/cove">animals that are being abused</a> and have no voice which to speak out with? What about love for that homeless guy that asks you for spare change on your way to work every day? They also have the potential of making us feel "complete".</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION">I am rebelling against this whole, you are incomplete unless you find your "other half"; a false reality forced upon us, programmed into our psyche by every Hollywood or Disney film ever made. The myth that we are incomplete unless we have found our "soul mates". It's a concept that once fulfilled, closes us off from the rest of the world because we are selfishly, supposedly, "completed". The "soul mate" concept is a trap door of Mordor for once believed, it makes it almost impossible for the other half of the soul mate to let go when it becomes toxic. We are taught that once you find that soul mate you are destined to be with them, and you should fight to keep them in your life no matter how painful it becomes, because that connection is as rare as a black diamond. That connection is rare but it comes in many forms we fail to recognize. Some soul mates are meant for a moment, to spark something in us at that moment in time and set us on the right path, some are for a season and still fewer are for a lifetime but definitely not all "soul mates" are for a lifetime-long bond. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It's time for a redefinition of "soul mate". A soul mate doesn't have to be a sexual partner, it could be a roommate that fulfills you completely, a best friend, a wise grandmother, heck, it could even be the favorite horse you ride on sundays. There can be many within a lifetime at different periods but once you do find one it doesnt have to be a 'till death do us part tragedy. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Still, s</span>ome of us aren't meant to have a "soul mate" and are our own best soul mates. After all, who was Buddha's soul mate or the Dalai Lama's? While I understand that Barack would be nowhere without Michelle and Bill would never have been as great without his Hillary, until that person comes about, I have no choice but to be my own support system, my own rock. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The other choice is to feel self-defeated every Valentine's day, every friggin' year that passes that my cursed "soul mate" does not materialize. I refuse that option. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">You don't have a Valentine on Valentines day? Some people don't have a Mother on Mothers day or a Father on Fathers day so shut the f*&k up!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">My father passed away years ago, so I don't have a father on Father's day and I'm sure there are tons of good people that don't have a mother to celebrate on Mother's day. These are the days to not focus on the negative and go against the American way of focusing on what we don't have or need. Instead, these are the days to focus on the father, mother or lover we did have and remember them in the fondest of ways, reminiscing on the good moments however small or few they were. These are the days to get over feeling sorry for ourselves and reminisce on those "moments of love" that we have had in our lives, however brief, even if they were just a kiss on a dance floor or a weekend in Mykonos. The point is love for another doesn't necessarily have to be forever and being single is much better than being lied to, cheated on and disrespected, suffering fools just so you can say you have a partner.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b>A recent psychology study suggested that when you're single, all you see are happy couples - When you're committed, you see happy singles. Why not learn to deal with what we have, why is the grass always greener on the other side?</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In this country where over 50% of marriages end in divorces I believe the paradigm is shifting towards more people being taking their time to be fulfilled by being alone or to coin a Mama Oprah phrase, "I am with my-self".</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">More and more citizens of this Matrix are finding the value of self-power. <a href="http://www.dhamma.org/en/vipassana.shtml">Vipassana meditative retreats</a> once obscure, are gaining mass popularity. Where participants choose to segregate themselves from reality for 10 full days of solitary confinement amongst others who accept to not speak a word during the term, meditating daily and bringing absolutely nothing to read, no technology to plug into, essentially no distractions from the "self". It teaches it's young Jedi's to reconnect to their "inner gurus", to the answers that we all have within us but are too busy and too noisy to ever stop and listen to them in our ever-frenetic lives. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I repeat Maroon 5's song on repeat in my head- "all these fairy tales are full of shit..if I hear one more love song I'll be sick" but at the same time </span>I still believe in the universal truth of love's power to expand and transform but it is a sacred place to love another equal to the amount you love yourself or at least it should be. It's a bond that requires honesty with oneself and a responsibility to keep it as true and real as possible through communication.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">If happy ever after does exist...it will be in the fertile valleys just beyond self-fulfillment mountain. True love with another should be a bonus, not what completes us. Sure, its nicer and easier to have someone next to you to lean on, making end's meet but it should be for the right reasons and therein lies the problem, most people jump into love for all the wrong ones from safety blanket to punching bag to sugar daddy to plain old daddy-I-never-had and the most popular of all, to just-get-me-the-F-out'a-my-parent's-house.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">The "bonus" should be if we find someone that suits us along the way for even a brief period…it's enough. The concept that a relationship doesn't last forever is considered a "failure" is inherently untrue. For as in any "failure" there are pearls of wisdom gained. They are not failures at all, they enhance our understanding of our strengths and weaknesses to a greater and higher degree. The concept that every failed relationship is training for the "right one" still holds true here, however the "right one" might just be the healthy relationship with ourselves.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Before you knee-jerk judge and say to yourself he's just bitter or there must be something wrong with him as I've done to others like me in the past, try to believe it is possible to be fulfilled alone. It's time we neutralize this stigma against the selectively single and stop giving them the "aww" look.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Yes I get lonely, yes I get weak but I fight it so I can keep moving in the right direction. My fear of being derailed from my path is greater than any fear of being alone that may bubble up. I truly believe we are not alone, we are never alone, we just believe we are which makes us so susceptible to bad relationships to stave off loneliness from creeping in and taking us over. If only we had special x-ray goggles to see that we are surrounded by loved ones that have passed on. There is "stuff" between our worlds. Widows and widowers know this secret of all secrets. Whenever they are down, they will freely tell you they think of their passed love ones and imagine them there in an instant find comfort and counsel.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Do I want another shot at love? Who doesn't? When it does come, it will be an organic process. If he doesn't, then it is what it is. I won't settle for any more "Mr. Right Now's". If and when that happens, it will be a slow-drip get to know them patiently, not a free-fall.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So all you hermits or assexuals out there, come out of hiding, come out, be proud and extoll the virtues of not being bound by "the system". Tell others how good it feels to love yourself without need of approval from anyone. Cast away the stereotypically negative image of a dirty-smelly, bearded hermit alone on an island. Hermits can be hot. Hermits smell just fine and they can be unbroken and happy.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Guess who's not having a Valentine's this year?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Me...and I'm perfectly fine with that.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">*additional reading- <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/em/65464">How to Turn Loneliness into Sweet Solitude</a></span></div>
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Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com2Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico20.628505 -87.07975199999998520.5690645 -87.160432999999983 20.6879455 -86.999070999999986tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-16722347069153545972012-12-26T03:12:00.001-05:002014-01-11T18:01:26.297-05:00The All Spark<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There are times when you rack your brain to figure out what's the next step you should take in this video game called life. When you're stuck in a corridor not knowing what door to open and run through, sword in hand. It's mentally exhausting calculating which magic door to pick, avoiding the one that may have monsters behind it. Then there are times when that little space monkey in the sky pulling all the strings finally sends you some signs and you finally pay attention to them.<br />
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In a spark, it all suddenly becomes crystalline-clear as a prism reflecting the bright sun. You no longer fret or no longer care about making the wrong choice because you know the only way is forward at whatever cost, no matter how uncomfortable it may make your life. After all, we aren't here to be comfortable in our little hobbit shires, we were meant to be shaken about and challenged. </div>
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Some people come into your life for a season or a reason, the duration is irrelevant, for they change you either way. And so it was that on that Halloween night on a crowded dance floor where the roman politician and the half-naked eskimo first kissed and felt the all-spark, waking them up to see that there is another one out there just like themselves and on the same mission. Two parallel universes aligned for a moment, restoring the sense of what it feels like to have a belly full of bliss.<br />
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And so I choose to emerge from my comfortable little box and break all the locks, effortlessly picking a door...not looking down before jumping on my way out. I realize it doesn't have to be so tragic or scary. No matter if I ever see that roman politician again, I know now he does exist. He's stirred me out of my ant hill, I have that all spark and can't go back to sleep or ignore it ever lit me up in that lucky-blurry moment when I least expected it, as if by magic.</div>
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Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com1Miami, FL, USA25.7889689 -80.22643929999998125.5602019 -80.549162799999976 26.0177359 -79.903715799999986tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-12523662501850723852012-11-06T03:01:00.000-05:002012-11-06T03:01:08.557-05:00Thank You....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the eve of the most important election of our lifetimes, I am spinning out my anxiety at FlyWheel on South Beach, an uber high-tech extreme exercise emporium. I mull over the last several months where I've freely given countless hours to the grassroots campaign to re-elect our President Obama. The time given, unconditional except for the desire to see our country continue moving forward with a leader that in my eyes, has been one of the most effective and unwavering presidents we have had since John F. Kennedy. I'm free of regret as my time has been paid back exponentially with newfound wisdom, a greater connection to humanity and fulfillment knowing that I stopped watching the world spin by without my input and actually contributed to it's orbit towards one direction. <br />
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As the spinning instructor\dominatrix commands us to go faster, my eyes burn with sweat dripping from my brow and I close my eyes to prevent the sting. I begin to visualize what will happen if all this work will be for naught. What if my president doesn't win? What will happen to this country if the religious extremists finally get the full control they have fought centuries for. The thought burns a fire and in an instant I am pedaling furiously-faster, forgetting my body's limits.<br />
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I try pulling back from the doomsday scenario in my head of American Taliban hijacking our government, our constitution and my equal rights as a gay american. I see the big picture and recall other dire moments in history where the harsh lessons were an unexpected byproduct. I think of the worst example and try to see the good from Hitler's horrible crimes against humanity. Even in the horror he created and blatant disregard for human life, he seeded the Earth with the idea that what he did must never-ever happen again. In that moment, I come out of my spinning trance, wipe the sweat from my eyes to focus on the instructor's calls and beautiful motivating smile. She, like our President is calling and spurring us on to fight harder for our health, for our lives, for our equality to chase after those "transparent dangling carrots".<br />
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If American liberals are guilty of anything is that they suffer from a case of extreme Buddhism. Their natural tendency to look at life through a live and let live lens allows the right wing-nuts who scream and fight oh-so-much louder to oftentimes win against our wishes and even allow them to infringe upon our rights. This time, this election, in the words of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWa7vl_cgrU&feature=player_embedded">Debbie Wasserman</a>; it's personal. This election is personal to the senior who doesn't want to have to navigate a voucher system in their golden years peppered with senility instead of a safe and secure Social Security system. It's personal for a woman that inadvertently gets pregnant and wants to choose when she will bear a child so that she doesn't derail her life's career because someone not of her religious beliefs stole her right to decide when she will bring a child into this world. It's personal for all LGBT citizens who want nothing more than to be finally left alone to live a life with their life partners with full and equal rights as any other tax paying citizen and for them to marry the love of their lives and not be told that their marriage isn't as legitimate as a heterosexual man marrying his mail order bride from Russia. This election is personal to the young latino immigrant that worked two jobs for years to pay for their way through college and only dreams of being naturalized through the Dream Act. <br />
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We are a nation as divided as during the Civil War over 150 years ago. One side of the country towards progress and equality free from enslaving segments of our society and the other still wanting to keep those limits intact. Like Paul Revere lighting up the night with his call to arms, the obstructionists, one by one with their bizarre and twisted justifications to take away our rights have bitch-slapped so many of us apathetic and tolerant liberals to finally jump up and say what the fuck are you trying to do with my government?! <br />
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I thank Sarah Palin with all her ignorance of the facts and mockeries of the truth, I thank Lyin' Ryan and Myth Romney for spinning their Rumplestiltskin web of lies, spinning a golden mythological yarn, promising to magically fix all our problems without even telling us how. I thank Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter for giving a byproduct birth of the Stephen Colbert show and giving Bill Maher, John Stewart and Rachel Maddow their voice; emboldening their resolve with every barbaric diatribe that you spit in our faces. I thank their selective ignorance for spurring me to educate myself to be able to shut them and their minions down at a moment's notice. I have trained myself for years to stand up to their justifications and I too have found my voice. Thank you extreme Republicans, for you have stung us all awake from our slumber of generations. <br />
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Thank you Putin, Mubarak, Pope Ratzinger, the Castro Brothers, Kim Jong Il, Chavez, Ahmadinejad and all dictators of thought for pushing the opposition to fight harder every day to expose the truth, to fight for their freedom, no matter how many you killed or tortured; you never were able to completely cover the sun with your finger or your many and varied weapons. Thank you people of Egypt for inspiring the flames of hope for the rest of the Middle East and reminding us that no matter how many they shoot, they can never kill us all....that revolutions can still explode and not be contained.<br />
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We are certainly a divided America but we, the people are more activated and ready to fight than ever. Eventually the scale will tip, history is on our side. Injustices will not always reign and tipping points will be reached. The question is will it happen tomorrow or 4 more years from now?<br />
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I thank America for still being a place where telling the truth is not a cause for murder, imprisonment torture or death threats. Where anyone can research the truth enough to uncover the lies and corruption, expressing all without paying with their lives. The defenders of the truth; Bloggers, activists and journalists are still assassinated, tortured and imprisoned in parts of our world. <br />
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While there are so many threats to our freedoms; in this country we still have a voice to fight the opposers of progress. Every 4 years we can vote for who we feel best fights for this truth. When you do vote, don't vote for a party or what anyone tells you is right or wrong. When you are in that booth where no one can see you, vote for who your instinct tells you isn't lying to you just to allay your fears. Vote for who supports the truth and liberty that we thankfully still enjoy. Vote for who supports equal rights for all of us instead of dividing and degrading sections of our society.<br />
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In a time that feels as if the Tectonic plates are shifting, as if a megaquake is about to bust apart the world as we know it. It is crucial now more than ever, to hold on to our hope- that same hope that the religious right turned into a bad word as if it was something to be closeted and ashamed of having. If tomorrow we see the extremists take over our constitution, our bodies and probably throw us into a new war of their design, do not let go of the hope that we have carried and were repaid with a President that stood up for us. Do not give up that hope, for it just means that more of us need to get on the FlyWheel and start spinning, start spinning towards a new world we have all dreamt would come but will just take a little bit longer to materialize. <br />
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<b>"Sometimes life has to break us to make us. It's just a bend and not the end. We're all a little bit like glow sticks, no matter how much we're bent and broken our light still shines." DeAndre Carswell</b></div>
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An entry from evangelists Oral Robert's gay son Randy Roberts Potts on Facebook- <br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/randyrobertspotts?ref=stream">randy roberts potts</a><br />
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Tomorrow I will vote for the first President of these United States to openly declare that I am an equal citizen deserving of equal rights under the law. He's a man who values the bond my husband and I made in New York, who values the stability marriage can provide for the three children we are raising under our roof, who believes that our right to visit each other in the hospital is a right and not a benefit, who values our service in the military, in the schools, as firemen, as police officers, enough to say that we deserve to pass on what we leave behind to the person we love the most. I am proud to vote for Barack Hussein Obama, the man with the "funny" name, the man with the darkest shade of skin ever to sit in the White House, a man who chose to be a community organizer on the "bad" side of town instead of cashing in on his degree from Harvard. <br />
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The argument that a gay man, a bi woman, a transgendered person could vote Republican this year for economic considerations is bogus -- my family, my husband and our three children, are my primary economic unit. For the first time in history, one party values this unit, welcomes it, encourages it, while the other pretends it doesn't even exist. Denial economics just doesn't make sense.<br />
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4 years ago, the choice for LGBT people might not have been quite as clear, and I value the work of groups like the Log Cabin Republicans because they are one of the main reasons the Republican party will change, and it will change, eventually. Even so, the LCRs lost a huge opportunity this year when they endorsed a man who has a miserable track record of over and over and over again, over many years, refusing to treat us as people deserving of dignity and respect.<br />
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I am not a member of either party and I have friends, close friends, on both ends of the spectrum, but this year there I can't see any value in an LGBT person voting for a candidate and a party that openly, in its platform, in its robocalls, in its alliance with NOM, in its private statements, in its public statements, does not value us as full human beings capable of building families and contributing to society and serving in the military. Not when there is another party that openly declares its support for us.<br />
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If a candidate does not want your service, do not offer it.<br />
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If you are a member of the Republican party, as I know many LGBT men and women are, remember John Milton's words, "they also serve who only stand and wait." It's a point of honor to push your party on this issue, to remind Republicans daily that you exist. It is also the most honorable service you could provide for your party to stand aside this year, to vote for a more deserving candidate, and wait.<br />
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And for all you Democrats out there, well kids, you've got it easy!<br />
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Tomorrow's going to be a big day for marriage equality. I'm on the edge of my seat, literally. We might lose in a couple states; we might not. We might reelect the first sitting President ever to come out for marriage equality, and then again, we might not. Tonight, the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. ring as true as ever:<br />
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"I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream."<br />
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Now get out there and vote tomorrow and let's get on with that dream!<br />
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Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-21659046250104406162012-09-13T01:06:00.000-04:002012-09-13T01:07:37.938-04:00Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Piece<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Speaking to a fellow Cuban Democrat today he stopped and
said I can’t talk about politics, my family is Republican and its useless and
they get very angry. I wondered to myself since when do Democrats have a
gag-order placed upon their mouths? Since when did intelligent debate become a bad thing? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qzrXQvgD0sk/UFFlYgClcYI/AAAAAAAABHc/qrg4Vl3zdHM/s1600/Agora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qzrXQvgD0sk/UFFlYgClcYI/AAAAAAAABHc/qrg4Vl3zdHM/s400/Agora.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our country was founded upon democratic principles from
ancient Greece where the beauty of debate at the Agora was a revered expression of
intelligence and catalyst for progress. To debate calmly and intelligently
using facts, only served to progress a society. False assumptions can be
dispelled, incorrect facts can be clarified as lies. When we stop debating we
cage our ideas however right or wrong, inside our minds and Democracy is as a
result, degraded. When we don’t speak up they win, when we don’t call them out
on their lies they win in rewriting reality to fit their version of it. So the
next time a Republican starts to huff and puff and spew their lies forcing you
to roll your eyes into acquiescence, stand up to their rants, debate
intelligently (<a href="http://www.factcheck.org/">www.factcheck.org</a> is a good place to start) and calmly no matter how
loud they scream out their fabrications. The fact of the matter is, they and
their policies have never been so wrong in our country’s history. Their party
irresponsibly dug us into this huge deficit, trickle-down economics don’t work
and never have, deregulation of Wall Street and getting us into two expensive
wars we should’ve never gotten into caused this great recession, they are NOT
fiscally conservative especially when it comes to military spending, our
country was founded by separation of Church and State, gay rights are human
rights, banning abortion doesn’t stop abortions any more than prohibition
stopped alcohol use, ignoring the need for universal health care only adds to
our deficit by requiring coverage of uninsured through Medicare and bankrupts
our citizens, we cannot continue to ignore the 12 million undocumented workers
living in this country, nor can we deport them all.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xgpz0jyjL7o/UFFoMnaWLII/AAAAAAAABHs/Aq8g65m2NEI/s1600/betteroff%3f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xgpz0jyjL7o/UFFoMnaWLII/AAAAAAAABHs/Aq8g65m2NEI/s320/betteroff%3f.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our president elect has been incredibly effective, more
effective than any other president in my adult life. He stopped us from falling
into a “depression” that by all accounts we were inevitably crashing into. Our
recovery is happening and however shaky, things are better, even though the
obstructionists have tried their hardest for him to fail. If you don’t believe
it, look at Europe which is still reeling from and falling back into a
recession. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It should never be just about Democrat or Republican, it
should be about who has the best ideas and most intelligent vision of moving
our country forward and right now, it happens to be a Democrat. When our
country wins, we all win. If we are not united in that goal we all fail. So the
next time a Republican tries to bully you into silence, stand up and say
"You really don't have a leg to stand on, you voted for George Bush
twice!"<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1fRA8OxWO50/UFFojVbzO0I/AAAAAAAABH8/L9G8xqQnGN4/s1600/youvotedbush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1fRA8OxWO50/UFFojVbzO0I/AAAAAAAABH8/L9G8xqQnGN4/s320/youvotedbush.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It’s no longer about two different ways of dealing with our
country’s issues, it’s about whether or not we move forward or go back to the
same old ways that weren’t working and were definitely unsustainable. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And for the Cubans in Miami still loyal to the Republican
party because of the Bay Of Pigs fracas, please move on..it was a long time ago
and it was never America’s responsibility to free Cuba! The Republican led
embargo has done absolutely nothing to foment change for over 50 years and it’s
high time for a “change” on how we look at Cuba. The “change” we need in this
country is not going to come from any one leader as much as the “change” in how
active we are with the state of our affairs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In the words of President Obama- "Change will not come
if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been
waiting for. We are the change that we seek."<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> ...s</o:p>ilence does nothing</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-87294598625820884642012-08-02T16:22:00.003-04:002012-08-06T19:05:43.382-04:00Saving Myself<div style="text-align: center;">
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I
am shattered...These last several years of a recession have stripped me of all
the things I thought I needed to be safe. A secure job, health insurance,
income properties, 401K retirement fund, a loving partner- all gone in an instant. The dust has
settled and I'm bare as the day I was born. I <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox31A2L1A7Y&feature=fvwrel">say goodbye to the world I thought I lived in</a>, finally ready to shapeshift into a
better, newer version of me. The next battle will be fought with my wits about
me and in a battleground of my choice...no longer a banal corporate drone, I
will pick a career not for a big paycheck or benefits but for a cause
-something, anything that means more than just pushing-papers. My credit may be
destroyed but like the honey badger I don't give a shit. The Credit Rating
system is just another mechanism to control the masses and maintain debt slavery.
I will do like the Germans and save and buy when I have the money on hand, if I don't have it, I won't. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I'm at a crossroads but don't know which road to take to begin my
"second act". I chose a secure job for the good salary and to feel secure,
never able to be daring enough to be a starving artist, giving up all
materialistic comforts to reach my true dream. I'm now ready to deal with that
fear of not knowing where my next paycheck will come from and replacing it with
knowing that I will create my own sense of security and "inner
wealth".</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">On this Doomsday year, I stand ready and waiting to
welcome the new world -for whatever it will be will be more true to me than the
last one. A paradigm shift is happening before our eyes. The old ways are
crumbling from the weight of their own unsustainability.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><o:p> </o:p><b>The American Dream has AIDS and
it's in urgent need of a blood transfusion, new ideas to revive its potential again.</b> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Adversity forces analysis of how one conducts their
life and how one can do more with less. Necessity is the mother of invention- I
will learn to do more with less. Living on a salary that is now 1/3 of my
previous one means more eating in. My bicycle, pool and running outdoors = my
new gym. Who needs health insurance when I can manage my own health. Meditation
is free and more of it = no need for antidepressants. My talents brought
to fruit will be my retirement fund. I will harbor no fear of being poor or not
achieving the American Dream, for I already had it and I still wasn't happy. It
was never enough. The new American Dream will be "My American Dream",
custom fit to fill my needs, my definition of success. Who needs the Wizard of
Oz, I will find my own yellow brick road to happiness. I will be own savior, my
own wing-man. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The Hopi indians believed you should not chase
after happiness and success but to have the awareness that you are already happy
and successful. To them it’s a state of mind, not a balance in a checking
account. The Hopi saw the world alive and full of purpose. </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Instead of dwelling on my limitations or
imperfections I will focus on the powers at my disposition to make a better
world around me. My success will be measured by the number of smiles I can
bring to others, and the happiness I share with my loved ones. I
will channel my inner Buddha and guide myself on how true I stay to my inner
"right or wrong" while staying true to my mission. I will be my own
best friend first and second to my closest family and friends. My legacy will
be how others remember me. What I will have are the good memories instilled in
others which will live on with their spirit- for eternity.
It's time to start asking ourselves what will our "after-life" be
like? Fuck retirement -I'm planning out which planets and undiscovered
galaxies I will travel to in my afterlife. Like Prince sang, it's time to go a little crazy because "there's something else, the afterworld". </span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Each one of us can be a
revolution...we can all be revolutionaries to shape our world in a better form.
When we give up, we relinquish that power.</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #0000f6;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPzBIhQ92oc">Like the gay men fighting in an American mall earlier this year
after being called faggot</a>, </span>echoing the day the gays at the Stonewall
finally had enough of the police abuse and fought back. The masses
are awake and fighting back...no longer resigned for a savior that never came
and probably never will, the "second coming of Christ" is, I believe
the Christ or God consciousness inside each of us, the awareness that we have
the same power to fix things as a God, demigod or whatever you choose to call
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>"Come to the edge, He said.
They said, We are afraid. Come to the edge, He said. They came. He pushed
them...and they flew." Apollinaire</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We are being pushed to our edges globally in every
nation and we are not going to keep quiet anymore..."the hungry will only
stay hungry for so long". Occupy movement, Anonymous hacktivists, Susan
Komen uproar over cutting Planned Parenthood, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/08/exile-prime-minister-decr_0_n_1263151.html">self immolations in Tibet</a>, mass
unprecedented protests in Russia, the Arab Spring; the examples are popping up
everywhere like mushrooms after a rainstorm. Activism and communication of
injustice is at an all-time high with many times, quick resolutions as fast as
the internet can carry them- ending the injustice, once revealed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I choose now to be savior of
myself, to mirror God's potential as much as I can dare to believe. I will be my own personal hero, turning myself whatever I want to be. I am swimming in the infinite ocean of possibility,
lighter now, having shed my tattered carcass of humility. I serve no one by
lowering my head to others. I am proud, I am strong, this is my revelation.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The universe is a democracy a cooperative
commonwealth. What we are now witnessing and living is a
"pornocracy". Our leaders have sold themselves to the highest bidder
to hold on to their warped, greedy version of the American Dream. Greed is no
longer good. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I am one of millions who have finally been freed of
most of the trappings of capitalism that were wearing down our very essence.
Stressing every day to maintain it all was barring the masses from being in the
moment. Sure, we had the best toys and coulf afford vacations with healthy doses
of socializing amongst friends but our minds were always cheating on our true
selves, the secret, closeted heroic version of yourself that you keep in a
vault in your mind. That guy that would one day come out and kick life's ass,
and wear it's balls around his neck as a trophy! For too long, we've been racking our minds, balancing money and bills on a see-saw in our heads, feeding a false sense of getting close to the ever fleeting golden fleece of success. Stripped of all
of these capitalistic accessories, we are now forced to re-evaluate the concept
of "success" and how a person values himself in America of today. I
believe the old American Dream is being incinerated before our eyes. Glowing-red,
wispy embers from a forest fire falling softly to the ground. The embers of
the old America fertilizing a completely new, reconstructed, sustainable
American Dream, where humanity is paramount and finances are not.</span></div>
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<span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Unemployment, not paying your bills, collectors
blowing up your phone, whatever it is your feeling that is keeping you down,
feeling innadequate, unloved, undervalued or underappreciated...just
"<a href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/shake-it-out-lyrics-florence-and-the-machine.html">shake it out</a>" and believe you are worth more than a paycheck, or
whatever assault to your self esteem from outside forces..shake it out...let it
roll off your shoulder, believe the revelations will come and you WILL find a
new way to live. You will find a new way to get "unstuck"...eventually. Savor the process.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">"Break your heart no longer. Each
time you judge yourself, you break your own heart. You stop feeding on the
love, which is the wellspring of your vitality. The time has come. Your time.
To live. To celebrate, and to see the goodness that you are. Do not fight the
dark. Just turn on the light. Let go, and breathe." -Swami Kripalu</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/if/#"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>IF</b></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can keep your head when all about you</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>But make allowance for their doubting too:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Or being hated don't give way to hating,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>And treat those two impostors just the same:.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can make one heap of all your winnings</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>And lose, and start again at your beginnings,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>And never breathe a word about your loss:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>To serve your turn long after they are gone,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>And so hold on when there is nothing in you</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If all men count with you, but none too much:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>If you can fill the unforgiving minute</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Rudyard Kipling</b> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">If you need help walking this new path alone-here's a great <a href="http://community.humanityhealing.net/profiles/blog/show?id=1388889%3ABlogPost%3A1273500&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_post">post</a> to read. </span></div>
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</div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-32833467749390147692012-06-07T16:05:00.000-04:002012-06-11T13:36:16.223-04:00To the Dreamers that Keep the Dreams Alive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Below is a repost from over 3 years ago when Where the Wild Things Are was about to be released in theaters and while it turned out to be a lot more melancholic and sad than I remembered in my childhood, the story still had that "magic", that eternal magic that never gets old and slices through generations. It's that same alchemy of words that all writers only dream of manifesting and harnessing at their whim in order to infuse it into their stories for a hopefully, strange kind of immortality. To be remembered for your stories, for your mind's fancies to delight generations of children for decades after you pass. Being a writer myself, that is the greatest reward, greater than any book commission or literary award. For the joy and wonder you create to be held so dear that you or your stories are not forgotten.</div>
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Upon the recent death of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Sendak">Maurice Sendak</a>, I discovered many more <a href="http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2012/05/maurice_sendak_on_the_wizard_o.html">intimate details</a> about the man and spinner of tales that I ever knew. It made my love for him and his work increase on more profound levels as an adult than the love I had for him in my childhood. He and his family were holocaust survivors, the "hairy yet sad monsters" in Where the Wild Things Are, were imaginations based on his aunt and uncle whom loved him dearly but whom he, as a child only saw as larger than life and always wanting to smother him with kisses. He illustrated all his stories, which were always so endearing to me. The biggest surprise of all was that he was <b>gay</b> and lived with his partner for over 50 years. Being a child of a Polish-Jewish family made it hard for him to come out. Although, being a hugely successful writer, he too suffered from thinking he was never good enough.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I tip my hat to you Sir Maurice, for improving the world in some tangible way. This author of children's literature born on the same day as Mickey Mouse has done just that. His magic-weaving has left me an improved person, even now as a 42 year old man with a child's heart that still remembers how his stories helped me to avoid despair and survive a difficult childhood. As he drew inspiration from other writer's and Disney's Fantasia, I have also drawn inspiration from his vision of a world not so far away.</span><br />
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G'bye Maurice- May your stories haunt and add wonder to our lives for years after your death.<br />
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<a href="http://www.npr.org/2012/05/08/152248901/fresh-air-remembers-author-maurice-sendak">Recent NPR interview with Maurice Sendak</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.pbs.org/now/arts/sendak.html">Great PBS video interview with the author</a> </div>
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Original Post from 10-19-2009<br />
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Take a deep breath, expand your belly with oxygen until it's full, close your eyes and think back for a moment when you were a child and how you would believe any fantastical story your siblings or friends would tell you. It was a moment of pure freedom -leaving you gasping for more. You would envision the stories in your mind and take them to your bed at night and dream the dreams that were planted in your head. I couldn't wait to get to bed to begin my new journey each night. At a young age, I was blessed to have 3 very creative siblings and a very large backyard with horses, roosters, chickens and many, many fruit trees, complete with our very own tree house. A virtual Garden of Eden for kids to roam free. In that playground, our minds were blown open to wander and wonder on anything that came to our heads. One day, we would hear stories of my eldest sister Lisa taking a ride in Wonder Woman's invisible airplane and swing on Spiderman's web over skyscrapers and the next, we would all be possessed tree-zombies on a mission to take our youngest sister, Maggie down to the depths of tree-zombie-landia. Every week was a new mission and story to play out. My favorite time was my time alone in the farthest corner of my yard that abutted a large vacant lot...the wildest, most desolate space I could access at my limited age.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3byHNMb2LrbveVwN5SHfHg6209Q4beszTYakkhgtihhomvWRKgId5lDeJpoaPiH7RcwD3SpJAddU3GDRkuW1kLdROG90p2GvFwQenk5c19WZQPoZizyTiQMD4DVhUQEfIktf7IB43Kr6/s1600-h/img23.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397494696649252514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3byHNMb2LrbveVwN5SHfHg6209Q4beszTYakkhgtihhomvWRKgId5lDeJpoaPiH7RcwD3SpJAddU3GDRkuW1kLdROG90p2GvFwQenk5c19WZQPoZizyTiQMD4DVhUQEfIktf7IB43Kr6/s320/img23.jpg" style="cursor: hand; height: 200px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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There in my created reality, I would talk to God and stand on a stump, trying to bribe God with good deeds to enable me to fly. I wanted it so badly I would eagerly help my bewildered mom with all the chores and even cease bothering my younger sister for a week to see if that would finally get me my golden ticket to the sky and worlds beyond my home. I would run and jump and feel very light for seconds but never was able to fly in the same way I did in my dreams. Nothing matched the grandeur and lightness of being as in my dream-flights.<br />
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My body was dreadfully earthbound but I never stopped dreaming and now 30 years later I finally feel that magic spark inside again stronger than ever. I feel we are entering a time where the masses are beginning to leave fear and negativity behind and start to think about wondrous things beyond what we know, beyond the mundane limits of the prison of "logical thinking". I dream for a time where we can be a little illogical and loose and a little more connected to the "wild" and "where the wild things are". To rebuild our connection to Mother Earth who has been neglected for so long. To think less about mortgages, life insurance, job security and more about bugs, salamanders, M&M's, doodling and tree forts. <br />
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If there is any one thing that I believe most in this life is of the endless possibilites for wondrous and wonderful things out there and regardless if you call them myths, parnormal events, illusions, hallucinations, figments of our imagination or whatever; the names you give them do not diminish or destroy them. It only limits who are the ones that get to see and enjoy their soul-enriching beauty leaving us in awe at how small our dogmas, political, religious and economic systems are in the grander scheme of the universe and unknown number of dimensions.<br />
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I dedicate this blog to the Dreamers, the Believers, the one's that keep the possibilities of other worlds alive, enriching ours all the more. The Maurice Sendak's, Walt Disney's, J.M. Barrie's, Lewis Carrol's, Guillermo Del Toro's, Pixar Studios, Dreamworks', my personal muse -Grettel, would all leave our world bland and tasteless were it not for their eccentric musings and vision. They've given us permission to dream and to take a ride back to our youth when we were more closely aligned to the spirit world and the endless possibilities of the dreams we dare to dream, enabling us to forget how taboo it is to believe in things not yet proven.<br />
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Square away some time to take a camping trip to your nearest forest, build a fire (carefully), make up stories to tell your family and allow yourself to think when you look into the darkness that fantabulously-fun creatures ARE out there just waiting to play.<br />
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In the words of the great Maurice Sendak; "Inside all of us is ADVENTURE."<br />
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Dreamers creating a dream in the streets of Chile:<br />
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<object height="285" width="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BnG_Ce8Qz9w&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1">
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<br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BnG_Ce8Qz9w&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-62533252112467788402012-02-21T03:43:00.004-05:002012-03-20T14:41:02.419-04:00End the broken Cuban Embargo Now- Never Worked-Never Will<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If this "Great Recession" has taught us anything, it is that these crises occur from the need for us to stop what we are doing wrong and bring about a time of self analysis to eventually and hopefully let go of the systems or structures that are no longer sustainable or working for us.</span><br />
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<span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As is evidenced in the recent <a href="http://front.moveon.org/tag/susan-g-komen/">Susan G Komen</a> VP's resignation, the million signature petition to oust <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/18/scott-walker-recall_n_1286652.html">Scott Walker</a> and the firing of right wing extremist <a href="http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/fire_buchanan/disabled.html">Pat Buchanan</a> from MSNBC, the voices of the moderate, liberal Americans have finally gotten louder than the small group of right wing extremists in this country. A majority of Americans are calling for a more progressive, future-minded America with less waste, debt slavery, and more sustainability, less reliance on fossil fuels or foreign oil and foreign policies that do not bully other countries into doing what we tell them to do.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Iraq and Afghanistan has shown us, we can no longer afford to be the policemen of the world. We need to turn our focus towards our own country; it's strapped educational system, our citizens' access to affordable health care, preventing the disappearance of the middle class, relying less on foreign oil and the elephant in the room, decreasing our looming deficit. </span><br />
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1mqlzbrVugzvZn6qsgbzI9D_5JTPkMZ4TKcxT_S61est6H0lsB1wfihYn9oPAKYR730IqLQHtNfIMUaNc1gIOMJ-w288HEoK5kMaH1urXS59OyMAKiG71yX8_NNaICL0tdBIO8rbaFlU/s1600/embargo_caricature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1mqlzbrVugzvZn6qsgbzI9D_5JTPkMZ4TKcxT_S61est6H0lsB1wfihYn9oPAKYR730IqLQHtNfIMUaNc1gIOMJ-w288HEoK5kMaH1urXS59OyMAKiG71yX8_NNaICL0tdBIO8rbaFlU/s320/embargo_caricature.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We have a long way to go to complete this "house-cleaning" process and in the end we will be on the path to a truly progressive, contemporary and evolved society that is sustainable for generations to come.</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The U.S. embargo on Cuba is a gas guzzling, 1959 Studebaker and yet another cantankerous, nonfunctioning system that must be shed in order to progress towards a brighter future for all. Agression begets aggression, fear begets fear and an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. We must break this template of suffering and agression that our history has been pockmarked with and progress towards a more harmonious and cooperative future. This failed foreign policy has done nothing but kill jobs, insulate the country, giving the regime an excuse for all it's malaise, and only serves to please the small group of Republican Cubans in Miami that support the embargo for their own emotionally-laden and illogical reasons. Like a child that has his toy taken away, they object to anyone else playing with their toy if they can't. Democratic Cubans want to end the embargo but they have never raised their voice in Miami for fear of societal reprisals or being accused of being gasp, "Communist". Since the Cubans that are the most powerful in Miami are the one's carrying the biggest sticks, the others don't speak up, quietly rolling their eyes, waiting for their obsession with Fidel and their tired family feud to end.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The world has changed much since it's <a href="http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2012/02/07/us-embargo-on-cuba-turns-50/">inception in 1960 over 50 years ago</a>. As far back as 1975, U.S. Senator <strong>Edward M. Kennedy</strong> urged the U.S. government to lift the embargo and normalize relations with Cuba. "I believe the idea of isolating Cuba was a mistake," says Kennedy. "It has been ineffective. Whatever the reasons and justifications may have been at the time, now they are invalid." Now 37 years after Kennedy proclaimed it a dead policy, I, a Cuban-American, son of Cuban immigrants call for this sczherade of a policy to end.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This policy has not only been completely ineffective at removing the regime, it has in fact been the main factor in keeping it in power, allowing the regime to use it as a blanket excuse for all it's malaise much in the same way conservatives in this country blame it's troubles on the gay or immigrant communities. It's as if the few supporters left of this embargo were hired as double agents to do the regime's bidding. The only thing the policy has been effective at has been to discredit the United States and give evidence to our detractors that we are practicing, card-carrying imperialists. This embargo has fertilized the egg that gave birth to other radical anti-American leaders in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez">Venezuela</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_Correa">Ecuador</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evo_Morales">Bolivia</a> as well as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba%E2%80%93Iran_relations">Iran</a>. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I want not only other Cuban-Americans to experience the island, but other Americans to experience my country and realize what it means to be hispanic or latino living in the U.S. and missing home. They will finally see why we cling to our culture, why we still sing the songs from our past and all the dated stereotypes of what a latino is will melt away in one visit. These Americans would see a mirror in this country that has fallen from grace, while our own country is still recovering from it's own fall from grace. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The problem with debating this is similar to the debates raging in this country, the ones debating are not informed enough to fight the status quo or the ones that are screaming the loudest. I urge you to research the topic from both sides; for even the flattest pancake has two sides. Become informed so you can come up with your own conclusions. Compare this policy with others worldwide. Has there ever been an embargo lasting this long on any country? Has this policy done any good? Is it hurting more than helping? Is it time for all parties to sit down and come to a new kind of policy or intelligent debate? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I imagine a day when this inane embargo would be gone and two vibrant sister cities of Miami and Havana working in synchronicity for each other's growth and vibrance. Miami is a modern day Havana, missing it's elegant mother from which she mirrored her spirit and sex appeal after. Miami's mother has been secreted and locked away in a bitter, dark and cold corner where no one else can enjoy her beauty. </span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The older generation of Cubans have wrapped her in a didactic burka of poor judgement, envy and non-democratic foreign policy.</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I want to open this discourse from private meetings of U.S. President's with Miami's Cuban elite to all citizens to make a decision on what is right for Florida's closest neighbor. This "Cuban issue" has been used as a pawn to gain votes by so many political hopefuls seeking to win Florida. The ones that have suffered are the Cubans in Cuba stuck with a regime that is isolated without any hope of revolt or access to any kind of weapons to do so. The Cubans living in the U.S. also suffer by being required to send constant remittances to support their families and keep them away from malnourishment or illness. They yearn to be able to visit their homeland without limits and share their heritage with their children. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Americans and Cubans on the island are held hostage while this eternally long chess game is played out and a nation of over 11 million people across the Florida Straits are left with nothing but isolation from us. If it isn't a child's fault they were born in a communist country like Cuba, is it right for our policies to play a part in that child's suffering? A free and democratic country's right on whether or not it's citizens can do business, generate jobs, or simply travel to that beautiful island cannot and should never have been up to a small group of powerful individuals who claim to own that land. That land as with any land, is for ALL to enjoy.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GI9cfigCj1o/T0NVQqkN_yI/AAAAAAAAA4k/kyLDdZ67rtI/s1600/red+queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GI9cfigCj1o/T0NVQqkN_yI/AAAAAAAAA4k/kyLDdZ67rtI/s320/red+queen.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We do not live in Wonderland where the Red Queen can dictate to her kingdom where her subjects can or cannot travel.</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a democracy and as such, we Americans should be able to begin business, trade and tourism with Cuba at a time when jobs are so desperately needed. Sister cities nourishing and strengthening each other's economy's, creating thousands of much-needed jobs. If you believe this is a democratic right as strongly as I do, please sign this petition to end this failed foreign policy of more than 50 years by clicking the red button at the end of this blog.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://wwhttp//www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/ga11162.doc.htmw.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/ga11162.doc.htm">United Nations</a> voted unanimously yet again in October of 2011, to denounce the Cuban embargo and it's old-Cold War policy of intervention. The votes were 186-2. The two countries that said no were of no surprise; U.S. and Israel. This same <a href="http://www.lawg.org/action-center/78-end-the-travel-ban-on-cuba/935-un-cuba-vote-happy-20th-anniversary">vote to end the embargo by the United Nations' General Assembly</a> has occurred consecutively and unbelievably for the last 20 years! This siege is not right, it never was and now it is blatantly obvious and only serves to cause animosity between the two countries instead of mutual cooperation. The supporters of the embargo would say, "you cannot do business with that government.". To that I reply, we already are. America has special trade agreements already in place that create large profits for our country to the tune of up to <a href="http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c2390.html">711 million dollars since 1992</a> and that's just for medicine and some agricultural trade. Imagine the potential for commerce if the trade restrictions were completely lifted. It would far surpass the billions.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As recent as January of 2011, <a href="http://thenewamerican.com/usnews/foreign-policy/5988-obama-opens-trade-and-travel-relations-with-communist-cuba">Obama reversed</a> Bush's ineffective tightening of the Embargo and reinstated the rights of Americans to send remittances to struggling families and opened up travel restrictions, to certain special groups of Americans. He cut short from eliminating the crusty old mess of a policy due to the objections of one Republican; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ileana_Ros-Lehtinen">Ileana Ros Lehtinen</a> whom has consistently been a biased puppet for the select few power-Cubans in Miami. Her lack of vision and creativity for a new strategy has been a blockade since 1989 to any progress for removing this failed policy. It is a comedy of errors that she is also a strong supporter of the Church of Scientology and chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Do we really want someone that gives validity to Scientology as the chairman of our Committee on Foreign Affairs? Cuba has recently made a large, sweeping gesture to the United States to normalize relations by <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/28/cuba-prisoner-release_n_1172833.html">releasing over 2500 political prisoners</a> late last year. However, like Israel and the Palestinians, it never seems to be enough for the Embargo supporters to release their iron grip on the past, ever fearing any future where they cannot punish their enemies instead of trying to find a middle ground and finally making an agreement.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXyA7kdEKUsfHfYpHawewHQwk8AisxUkQJL0eBAuQvdMY3lLLMdGk_qSd7bS3Ad1SjLbhLcyhbO34jTnNRb01WlvBkFGYj1MxFMfLQ7-aeGGmfiesGNU6PQG-FjUMaSCNwVJAn3W_UCLrk/s1600/embargo-cartoon-Neubecker_Cuba.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXyA7kdEKUsfHfYpHawewHQwk8AisxUkQJL0eBAuQvdMY3lLLMdGk_qSd7bS3Ad1SjLbhLcyhbO34jTnNRb01WlvBkFGYj1MxFMfLQ7-aeGGmfiesGNU6PQG-FjUMaSCNwVJAn3W_UCLrk/s320/embargo-cartoon-Neubecker_Cuba.gif" width="320" /></span></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One surprisingly realistic declaration from within her ranks came in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">2008, when Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) spelled out a proper policy regarding Cuba: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">"The United States should allow its citizens to travel and trade with whomever they want. Not only would that be the right thing to do for Americans, it would do far more to bring freedom to Cubans."</span></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiau-9PK7RTFq1fW-Aov-HlRYAPdxPtrrZAa9FquEF0Y6ubSbvtC7EM_bYqjyGNUNkU7eMJ2xe_0ElZlgeO5U3D4uJa_T6nQPD8K1UhiwGK_4AC_gTc4OMTKnWDvO7V1ubF60X_QVWQwLmF/s1600/vinales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiau-9PK7RTFq1fW-Aov-HlRYAPdxPtrrZAa9FquEF0Y6ubSbvtC7EM_bYqjyGNUNkU7eMJ2xe_0ElZlgeO5U3D4uJa_T6nQPD8K1UhiwGK_4AC_gTc4OMTKnWDvO7V1ubF60X_QVWQwLmF/s320/vinales.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I want to take my nieces and nephews on a cathartic field trip to discover what their heritage is without fear of being arrested or fined by U.S. customs agents. I want them to know what it feels like to ride a horse to the top of the Pinar Del Rio's low mountains and view the foggy, green valley below and on the way down feel the spirit cleansing waterfalls of Soroa on their skin. I want them to know the tenderness of the Cuban people and how they taught me to appreciate all the opportunities in America through their positivity and sense of humor; in spite of all their extreme limitations. How a mother and daughter eating rice and beans under a bare light bulb taught me what true generosity was by inviting me in their home to share the little they had to eat with me. We are all missing out on so many wonderful and life-changing experiences that this enchanting island has to offer and the Cubans are missing out on all the wonders of America and it's dynamic and modern culture.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The world has changed and just because we can't get our way doesn't mean the rest of us have to agree with your mentality or go to jail. Americans are free to go to China where human rights abuses are violated daily. Tibetan priests are <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/groups-report-tibetan-monk-sets-himself-on-fire-amid-wave-of-protests-in-western-china/2012/02/18/gIQAAB53KR_story.html">burning themselves</a> alive to liberate themselves from China's unjust rule of their country but yet Cuba who is only 90 miles away is forbidden for us to visit.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFg5ZzgIKBQ/T0M-DGAQPqI/AAAAAAAAA4E/Xk3IMywYxtw/s1600/Cuban+Embargo+Cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="310" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFg5ZzgIKBQ/T0M-DGAQPqI/AAAAAAAAA4E/Xk3IMywYxtw/s400/Cuban+Embargo+Cartoon.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, Cuba has violated human rights and there is room for improvement but so has our government. All governments are a work in progress. Aren't our citizen's rights violated when they are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AdDLhPwpp4">pepper sprayed</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> in the face and arrested for peacefully protesting in a peaceful Occupy demonstration? Aren't they political prisoners as well with their only crime being in protesting the way our government and economy is victimizing them? Aren't our LGBT youth committing suicide by the hundreds as a result of the dehumanizing attacks of the religious right in this country? The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/02/occupy-wall-street-un-envoy_n_1125860.html">United Nations</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> recently sent a harshly worded communication to our government over the apparent human rights abuses of our Occupy Protesters. Should Europe and China put economic embargoes on our country for these human rights abuses? Our policies on either side can only be improved through discourse and exchange of ideas, not from isolation. Isolation equals polarization. The more we exchange ideas the more we can realize our greatest fears are exaggerated illusions of the truth. </span><br />
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<span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>"We live in a sphere where nothing really gets out. The masses now understand that nothing less than global cooperation and shared consciousness of our interconnectedness, will bring solutions to our society's multitude of ills. This and only this will eventually give birth to peace and a sustainable balance with our Earth's finite resources" </b></span></div>
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<span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://responsiblecharity.org/">Responsible Charity</a></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you think Cuba would be more apt to violate human rights with more tourists and foreigners visiting, living and doing business within her borders? Do you think her isolation could be controlled with the flood of technology flooding her land and finally giving it's citizens free access to the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Cuba">internet</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. Her isolation is her greatest ally, allowing the country to get away with holding back the spread of modern technology and thus, the interchange of ideas. Just like Fox news tries to steer Americans by tweaking the truth, "if you control the information, you control the people". Only difference is, we have a choice of where we can get our information, the Cuban people don't. The greatest thing we can export to Cuba after the embargo ends would be our way of life, our technology, our latest toys. Communism would take an instant back seat to the latest Iphone or Playstation.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This petition is also for our president-elect, Obama to finally end this remnant of the Cold War by <u>not</u> approving the extension of the U.S. Embargo in September of this year.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will you simply adopt and carry someone elses point of view on the matter or take the time to educate yourself on the matter and make up your own mind?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Help make history by signing this petition and finally free two countries from this tragic, 50 year old dance that has separated and hurt so many families. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2012/feb/10/stern-lift-the-cuba-embargo/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recent Stern article calling for lifting of the embargo.</span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another article written by a Cuban supporting the <a href="http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2009-04-17/news/diaz17_1_fidel-castro-castro-brothers-embargo">end of the US Embargo</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/03/31/arts/design/20090401-biennial-slideshow_index.html">Havana's Biennial of Contemporary Art</a> this year hosts a bevvy of American art and highlights a cultural reason for increased interchange between our countries.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">U.S. Representative Lee Hamilton calls for an <a href="http://uscubanormalization.blogspot.com/2008/03/lee-hamilton-calls-for-end-of-embargo.html">end to the embargo</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A historical time line of the do-nothing, job-killing, dictator-sheltering, <a href="http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/funfacts/embargo.htm.com/history/funfacts/embargo.htm">Cuban embargo</a>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-57324383715104898882011-12-31T02:00:00.000-05:002012-01-05T10:32:40.815-05:002012- The Year of the Flood<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7wIwzvMWA7s/Tv6xYJ5gFRI/AAAAAAAAAzs/Oi9IQwZGGU8/s1600/puss.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7wIwzvMWA7s/Tv6xYJ5gFRI/AAAAAAAAAzs/Oi9IQwZGGU8/s320/puss.jpg" /></a><br />
My brother sends me a text at 3 AM that he is driving himself to the hospital and that he was having a heart attack. They restarted his heart 3 times. He survived and was now scheduled for surgery to repair his defective ticker. <br />
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My mom, giving me her best Puss in Boots face and Cuban guilt-trip to coax me into flying to dreaded Atlanta (cue screechy horror music) to support my brother in his time of need. Although it boasts one of the largest gay populations in America, it is still a backward, bible-belt, Republican-landia where people actually still celebrate Jesus Christ's birthday with a cake, candles and all (wish I was kidding). For obvious reasons, I like to visit there about as much as a Jew likes visiting Iran. I have no hesitation when it comes to visiting my other sibling in gloriously liberal and uber-democratic Boston. The vibe is so much more pleasant when you are among people that don't hate you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZkv_Lxx7FtCHFLdw_maAqeGYVI9jSlk3U2w0TWB-E0nlbl1fYzuzZNvlQqAoR73EcaUNpeAz0caVg8EZq_DGPbNwXDQq3Ug7joCMJgZvPQ8ISxNaZELKdUZlYJxX0C927cW1HqLZbaJ67/s1600/Republican+Land.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZkv_Lxx7FtCHFLdw_maAqeGYVI9jSlk3U2w0TWB-E0nlbl1fYzuzZNvlQqAoR73EcaUNpeAz0caVg8EZq_DGPbNwXDQq3Ug7joCMJgZvPQ8ISxNaZELKdUZlYJxX0C927cW1HqLZbaJ67/s320/Republican+Land.jpg" /></a><br />
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Republicans don't seem to understand why we liberals abhor them. The reasons are countless and increasing every day in this very Un-Civil war being waged in this country. Their party has maligned us, spread lie after lie about who we are or how we love, compared us to rapists and child molesters, labeled us more dangerous that the global warming they deny exists. They have electroshocked our bodies and forced hormone therapies to try to cure us of our gayness, they have spent millions of dollars nationwide obstructing our quest for full and equal rights and the right to marry. They have fought to keep laws as draconian as sodomy laws on the books just to prove a point that our sex displeases them. They avoid discussing rampant gay suicides of youths in states that they control policy in and do nothing to enforce anti-bullying behavior. And last but not least, they divide our families and our government, stalling every one's progress by obstructing job bills or even offering up any real solutions to help the struggling middle class or our stalled economy. All this just so they can cause their arch-nemesis, Obama to fail and them to regain totalitarian control of this country. The Republican party has not only become an enemy of the LGBT community, they have become an enemy to America. <br />
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While this laundry list is in it's rinse cycle in my mind, I come back to listen to my mother's pleadings to fly to Atlanta and be there for my Republican brother and his Republican wife in bible-thumping Atlanta. Her final plea of "What if he dies in surgery?", was the lynchpin to winning this argument. She is right, what if he dies? Republican or not, he is still my brother. I am forced to take the high road and be the supportive, loving brother a family member is expected to be to his sibling. It isn't easy, for my brother is a character to say the least. The list of his offensive behavior is quite long. At the top of the list is he is an extreme Republican. This is not only offensive because of the bigotry he espouses such as telling me, his gay brother that gay marriage is equivalent to pedophilia or bestiality. I let that one slide, knowing full well he is just regurgitating rubbish he hears among his peers in the good ol' ATL. Secondly, he treats his wife as a house maid, expecting love to be given upon his demand just because he brings home the bacon. He is a conversation hog and can never admit he's wrong in life or in any intelligent debate you engage with him. His voice is so loud when speaking that it feels like a pot banging, drum session and is a constant embarrassment to be in public with. He is a habitual liar and after googling Histrionic personality disorder, I can now add that to the list as well. He is in essence, the epitome of everything I dread becoming.<br />
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Upon arrival to the backwards, hillbilly underworld, I hear an obnoxious, booming noise of an engine revving for no apparent reason. I turn to realize it's my brother picking me up in an fixed-up 1968 Camaro. Basically a loud, gas guzzling, shiny piece of shit on wheels. I visualize the boatman of Hades and check my pockets for gold coins for safe passage. I guess he thought that buying a car that adds exponentially to global warming and annoys everyone as he drives by, is impressive and cool in his book. As I get in, he asks me if they make the sweater I'm wearing for men and laughs, amusing himself and forcing me to give him a caddy retort, "You're an idiot and why did you spend money on this shitty car, when your broke?". He guffaws replying, "You don't know anything, It's for my son, when he grows up." I counter again, "When your kid grows up, gas is going to be about $20.00 a gallon and why the hell would he want to drive a car that doesn't even have air conditioning?" He replies with a grumble. The banter ends and the awkward silence reigns. I quietly empathize for my doomed nephew and how horrible it must be to be my brother's son.<br />
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The gloom of the day is brightened by finally getting to see my two beautiful nephews. I have hope that they will grow up and not repeat the mistakes of their parents. I have faith that these two bright lights will follow Darwin's path and improve on the design. After reading to them, laughing and joking until they fell asleep, I went to my room, trying my hardest not to concoct paranoic visions of lynch mobs with torches pounding at my brother's door to hang my gay ass on the nearest peach tree. I remind myself why I am here and rest easy knowing that someway, somehow this labor of love will be appreciated. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uG5UUkyNBkk/TwXCT5EzchI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/CD3ZcjKRIew/s1600/trickle+me+this.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uG5UUkyNBkk/TwXCT5EzchI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/CD3ZcjKRIew/s320/trickle+me+this.jpg" width="256" /></a>The following day in the waiting room, I get to bond with my brother's wife while surgeons try to fix my brother's faulty heart. She confesses the problems with their marriage and then goes on to admit that she has softened her staunch Republican stance imbued upon her by her father for years. She admits that she doesn't agree with a lot of things the Republican party stands for and that when it comes to social issues, she is more of a Democrat. No surprise there, the Republican party doesn't fight for any social issues, all they focus on is greed and power, for themselves and corporations, "for the good of the people" is dead last on their bucket list. She finally, tells me that after years of being afraid of the gay agenda and opposed to gay marriage, she now believes that we should have the right to marry. Her sentiment, is now being echoed by a majority of Americans as recent polls support. After hours of waiting and meeting at the middle with my brother's wife, the nurse comes to take us to see my brother. The doctor proudly advises us that his congenital heart defect has been cured, well at least he claims he was 95% sure it was cured for liability reasons. We leave the room so he can rest and his wife breaks down in my arms, hugging me and confessing that she still loves him but can't stand to live with him anymore and that their marriage is dead. I was completely moved and felt an overwhelming sense of sadness for her. How do you live for years with someone that never apologizes, doesn't listen to you or even allow you to have a different opinion? I reaffirm to her that no matter what happens she is family and we will never turn our back to her. <br />
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After all, one doesn't ask if a choking victim is Republican or not before giving him the heimlich maneuver to save his or her life. You just do what you have to do to help a family member. She may be a little bigoted but everyone has limitations and her views have progressed and she is alas, family. Whether your family is repub or dem, it's the relationships within that realm that matter and how one family gets along with another family. The family unit is the primary circle that later converges with all other circles on this planet. if we don't get the first circle right and find a harmonious balance, all our other circles will be off-kilter and out of balance. Our country is so polarized and out of balance that we seem to be on the brink of new Civil War or at the very least, the start of a revolution.<br />
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This blog was written not to bash my brother whom although clearly has his faults, I still love very much and want nothing but the best for. It was written to serve as a metaphor for a larger issue of broken politics in America and how it is dividing our country and our families. I have my faults as do Democrats but at least I am open to change, I push myself to be better every day and always leave room for doubt that maybe I can do better with this or that. The day I think that my ideas are perfect and the only way, is the day I stop evolving. Republicans have not only stopped evolving they are riding full throttle in their gas guzzling hummers, in reverse.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Anti.Republican.Crusaders"><img src="https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/373294_192518057471204_1539530973_q.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/#"></a> <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Anti.Republican.Crusaders">Anti-Republican Crusaders</a> <br />Tom C. :<br /> "I am sick and tired of those supporting the right-wing including friends and family!!! People say play nice, I say FU! I sacrificed 30 years of my life for this country yet I've been told by members of family that my way of thinking is a cancer to America because I support the left. Right-wing zombies whose whole life has been about themselves. They have based their life on self serving agendas and what they have. No education, no technical skills, protected by those who serve. What they have they have gained by others sacrifice and freedom they never defended. Republicans cant face the fact their no longer the Grand old Party and the free ride most have had is over. It's sickening to see these people defending the right-wing and take lightly the candidates of their choice for President of the United States, while showing nothing but contempt for President Obama who exemplifies all the values once respected in America. So if you lean right and don't like being told where to go, Stand Down!" </b><br />
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Now that the wizard has gifted my Republican brother with a new heart, I can only hope he will take a moment to pause and analyze what he is doing wrong and maybe change course and find a better path. Just like our economy stalled, a heart stalling or any other "health" issue should be a time of self-reflection and modifying the factors that caused the breakdown in the first place. Hopefully, both of them can soften their stance and realize we are all in this together. One big, modern, dysfunctionally functional family that must love each other, bigotry and all. <br />
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Fast forward to Mount Sinai hospital, Miami Beach. As one family falls apart for one brother, a new family is born for another sibling. My sister's baby is born, two days before Christmas.<br />
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It's these times when your standing at a delivery window looking at your new niece for the first time that all these quarrels melt into oblivion. You're reminded what matters most is human life and the protection of it. Now if we can only agree on how to manage that "protection" of life for all and not just a few, chosen ones and to find a sustainable balance for life without straining our earth's resources...that's the gazillion dollar challenge that would win us a ranking as a higher civilization of this galaxy and we would walk forward on the road towards how "man-kind" should be....kind to each other. For if governments would do their job right, there would be no need for charitable organizations or charity. <br />
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Whether you believe in the apocalypse, rapture or our world getting kentucky fried in 2012, it's gonna be a bumpy ride this coming election year. One of the most volatile and stressful years of our lifetimes. A flood of energy with two worlds are colliding; one of compassion, sustainability and inclusiveness and the other of greed, self preservation and manipulation of the masses, no matter the cost to our collective world. Use your inner bullshit filter, occupy your heart and decide which path is the correct road to Nirvana on this earth.<br />
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<b>One thing is certain; complacency is no longer acceptable. </b><br />
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<b>Burying your head in the sand is no longer possible.</b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pXplddSjfsU/TvzQMZg0ceI/AAAAAAAAAzg/X6uZNv9RAgA/s1600/Occupy.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pXplddSjfsU/TvzQMZg0ceI/AAAAAAAAAzg/X6uZNv9RAgA/s320/Occupy.png" /></a>The masses are a-awakenin'- and a'realizing we've been getting the short end of the stick for far too long. We are finally becoming conscious that we have been coralled into pens of ideological, political, religious control. The one percent controlling everything is nothing new, it's sadly as old as history. America was the game-changing country that made it seem like more than one percent had a chance at reaching a dream of success. That dream has been broken and shattered all over the kitchen floor and the puppeteers in the shadows don't want us to notice. They want to keep us blind to the injustices we have allowed, that we have given permission to. All the moneys spent for wars we didn’t agree on, military expenses we didn’t feel were necessary, corporate tax breaks we never wanted to give, most offensive of all, tax breaks to the very ones controlling our puppet strings and having us bear the majority of the burden while they sit atop Mt. Olympus as demigods that never were gods at all.<br />
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After all, if they did not have OUR taxes, they would have nothing. WE are the ones with the power. WE are the ones that can take it back. WE must remain awake and vigilant. The masses one by one, are unplugging themselves from the Matrix.<br />
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We are starting to occupy our own minds, occupy our consciousness, occupy this world we live in instead of floating through it like zombies chained to a maniacal ever turning wheel doing what is expected of us, never questioning authority.<br />
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<a href="http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/why-do-people-defend-unjust-inept-and-corrupt-systems.html">Psychological article on why people defend unjust and corrupt systems that enslave them?</a><br />
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Time magazine named "<a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101745_2102132,00.html">The Protester</a>" as Person of the Year- 2011.<br />
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What happens to a country when the difference between <a href="http://www.projectworldawareness.com/2010/09/american-psychosis-what-happens-to-a-society-that-cannot-distinguish-between-reality-and-illusion/">reality and illusion</a> is blurred.<br />
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What the Mayan elders are saying about the coming "<a href="http://www.seri-worldwide.org/id435.html">flood" in 2012.</a><br />
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</div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com1Bethel, ME, USA44.4044586 -70.789880644.313707099999995 -70.9478091 44.4952101 -70.6319521tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-17681780289763372382011-11-17T02:09:00.001-05:002011-12-14T00:31:32.276-05:00Why do They Occupy Themselves with Occupying?<br />
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I have a Facebook message battle with a huffy, entitled queen from New England. He sarcastically posts on his wall- "Where do the Occupy Protesters summer- Burning Man?" to which I quickly reply, jumping at the opportunity to make him fully reveal his bias, "They summer where you do, the Occupy Protesters are you and I". Immediately I get a troll, private reply in my message inbox-<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;">I didn't ask who they are... Perhaps you are still high from the altitude poisoning we all suffered last ski season together in Aspen. I said "where". PS. If you hadn't noticed by the private jet we took, Ritz we stayed at, or the meals my trust paid for. We are not them.</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Eric A. Vasallo</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Joshua, if you want to go there i come from a good family myself...but i would never consider myself to be above anyone -especially people that are suffering without jobs due to the 1% of this country that snub their noses at the protests of other americans. you are a gay idiot. i am sad for the hypocrisy in which you live. oh and by the way the glaring red initials on ur jacket make u look like a pompous ass.</b></span></div>
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Ok so I admit, I should've left out the gay idiot and pompous ass insults. I would expect this kind of rhetoric from an obstinate Republican but not from a fellow homo. He's as big a hypocrite as Herman Cain or Clarence Thomas to his own people. Apparently, ignorance comes in all colors and people, no matter who they are, choose their morality based on their need for survival (I learned this in Anthropology). His being a trust fund baby means he is of the very few that are insulated by those that don't have to worry about a recession. In every movement there are always at least two sides, it's how the universe works; cause and effect, the yin and the yang. We saw it in Libya with the Gadhafi supporters in the streets supporting the insane despot, we see it in Cuba as well. The well off that are connected to the Government or a constant flow of good income and benefits are loyal to it's source. From the outside, you think how could these folks be loyal to such a corrupt and one-sided system? How can anyone defend Gadhafi or Fidel Castro? The answer is easy, "morality is based on one's need for survival". A retired economist in Cuba once told me, "If your people want to win this cold war against Cuba, end the embargo and start sending ship loads of medicine, food stuffs, appliances and clothing and you will see how quickly the people abandon Communism.". I never forgot that statement, the majority of people are loyal to whatever benefits them, no matter how badly it screws the rest of the population. Absolute power breeds absolute corruption and the root of this whole "class warfare" is just that. Corporations and big money have completely taken over this country's democracy. We are at a tipping point and while our country is not as impoverished as Egypt the inbalance of power is eerily similar. The proof is everywhere, from the countless graphs charting how much the middle class' income has been reduced since Bush's reign began to the Supreme Court ruling that <a href="http://movetoamend.org/?gclid=CI6O6a-bvqwCFQen7QodPUdEpw">corporations can be considered a "person"</a> and kept corporate donations at their democracy threatening levels. This class warfare was not started by Obama or the Middle Class, it was started by <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/special/2011/07/20/273795/ten-years-ago-bush-tax-cuts/">Bush's "temporary" tax cuts</a> benefitting the rich and will inevitably be finished by the masses taking back their democracy.<br />
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Enter - Occupy Wall Street Movement - not just a movement but an idea who's time has come, not created by one person but by the masses waking up and finally smelling that the bull shit in this country has reached an unbearable level. No manner of spinning or truth-twisting by the right can cover up the stench of the situation, at least not for the well informed. The other side swears the smell is coming from us evil liberals trying to defend equal pay and equal opportunity. Damn those evil liberals trying to take away their cake!<br />
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Don't believe in this conspiracy theory, then ask yourself or even Google when was the last time that <a href="http://coloradoindependent.com/106111/watchdog-targets-mayors-stop-harrassing-journalists-covering-occupy-protests">journalists were arrested</a> in this country for reporting on public events? 10 reporters were arrested in Zuccotti park in New York just this week. It's happening now, in this country, totalitarianism isn't just for the Middle East anymore. The Occupy movement is growing and will continue to grow as long as the inequality isn't remediated. The more people out of work the more will take to the streets, it's common logic and has happened again and again throughout history. America, as great as it is, is not immune to revolution.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/interactive/2011/oct/18/occupy-protests-map-world">Occupy movement is global</a> now, winter will not stop these protests, it will simply evolve into different types of protests and effect more change come voting season, just as the Tea Party did. Mass, organized voter registration drives would be an effective avenue to focus their energies on next.<br />
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If you want to continue to sit on your couch and pretend that everything is okay, go ahead, you can afford to, for now. If you don't then check out what <a href="http://www.occupywallst.org/action/november-17th/">Occupy</a> is all about. It is not a bunch of hippies or "terrorists", they are fellow Americans, just like you and I. They are US and we are THEM.<br />
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When you gather with friends and family to dinner to give thanks this season, think of those protesting in the streets, working for us to have better lives and for the American Dream to be more equally accessible to all. Send them your warm wishes that things will get better, for they are a different type of soldier fighting to protect our democracy and this is a different kind of war, a class war. They started it and we will finish it.</div>
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Amazing graffitti artist-<a href="http://vimeo.com/31811521">Shepard Fairey</a>, whom echoes the Global Occupy Movement struggle for justice-<br />
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Why can't millionaires aspire to be like spiritual billionaire- <a href="http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/11/the-spiritual-billionaire-who-gave-away-all-his-money-tom-rapsas/">John Templeton</a> aka "god's sugar daddy" or like Bill & Melinda Gates?<br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/02/occupy-wall-street-un-envoy_n_1125860.html?ref=fb&&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=2440676,b=facebook">United Nations envoy communication to United States on why Occupy Protesters human rights are not being defended</a>.<br />
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Connect with the Global Occupy Movement <a href="http://www.occupywallst.org/action/november-17th/">here</a>.</div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com0miami, florida26.431228064506438 -81.21093750.97111556450643732 -121.640625 51.891340564506436 -40.78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-51216323629932040222011-09-28T13:38:00.000-04:002012-08-07T23:31:37.428-04:00Doomsday Boy<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A golden sun over the Giza plateau sinks under the horizon and I mind-trip imagine the Egyptian goddess Nut giving birth to a full moon, rising to the center of the sky above the pyramids- the only man-made, ancient wonder of the world still standing. As the moon lights up the night, I spy a young tourist couple gazing at their romantic, dumb rock in the sky, enjoying their Hallmark-romantic moment. A modern day Adam and Eve wishing upon a star, conjuring up dreams of a perfect life together with good jobs, 2 kids and a nest egg to cushion their years of retirement. They believe the American dream. They believe the history they've been programmed to believe, that the pyramids were tombs built by an ancient, advanced race. I perceive a different scene altogether. I see the moon as many have begun to theorize, as an artificial, hollow structure moved there by an intelligent race so that our planet could be in the perfect orbit to sustain life for their new Earth colony. I see two pyramidal structures and a Sphinx built thousands of years before the Egyptians created their empire around them. They were built as industrial, <a href="http://www.gizapower.com/Articles/return.html">power plants</a> for wireless microwave energy, similar to <a href="http://peswiki.com/index.php/PowerPedia:Nikola_Tesla">Nikolas Tesla's</a>. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I ask myself when this dark con of man will end? When will this world full of lies spun by religions and governments to keep us in line and divided, whither into oblivion? It seems like that time is coming faster every day. More cracks of truth are leaking through, information is being shared at faster speeds than ever in the history of man. What used to take months to convey by way of human runners now take a quarter of a second from our smart phones while at dinner. We can know anything almost as quick as Neo learned Karate in the Matrix. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A new generation of barn-busting, establishment shattering devices such as <a href="http://wikileaks.org/">WikiLeaks</a>, Grass roots organizations like <a href="http://www.amnesty.org/">Amnesty International</a>, <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/">GreenPeace</a>, <a href="http://www.hrc.org/">Human Rights Campaign</a>, movies such as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBP0A4_pMJg">Food Inc.</a>, <a href="http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/religulous/">Religilous</a>, <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/192680/tapped">Tapped</a>, <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/63283/super-size-me">Supersize Me</a> and <a href="http://www.iamthedoc.com/thefilm/">I AM</a>, are helping to crack open a trickle of truth into a tsunami exposing these old institutions of hatred, disrespect for mother earth and industrial poisoning of our own people for profit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am of the ilk that believes what <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Na9-jV_OJI">Agent Smith tells Neo in the Matrix</a>, that we humans are a parasite on this earth and that we reproduce and consume without any consideration for the limited resources. We are now 6 billion parasites on this planet and without any movement towards population control, we are hurdling towards our own demise just as the Mayans and the mythological story of Atlantis. We are basically eating ourselves to death. Religion is the key source of this problem. The defenders of their faith claim that God protects all life and that we need to preserve all life. Are we respecting life when we consume so much that we are killing the live planet that we are on? When the tipping point is reached won't millions of lives be at risk?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Earth does not have infinite resources and without a balance of consumption and development, she will shrug us off like a mangy dog with too many ticks, sucking it's blood. It is ironic that the Maya, the ones that consumed themselves into oblivion are the ones that have their voice being heard through way of their prophecies for the end of our world. Their is an ancient Maya greeting (La'Kech) that when one enters a home, you say "<a href="http://www.kachina.net/~alunajoy/97aug.html">I am you. You are me</a>". The greeting underlines a universal law of harmony and balance that even the Inca and ancient Egyptians followed. That harmony and balance was obliterated by the dawn of the Industrial revolution and we are now witnessing it's end. With the global recession, a new awakening has been born that we need to retool all our institutions, to a more sustainable, balanced path. Our systems were addicted to growth, consumption and profit without a thought of how long it could be maintained. To the cynics, that say it's all hogwash, imagine this, we are on a small blue orb hurling through an infinite space filled with asteroids, comets, millions of tons of satellite debris and a burning sun that can burn us to dust in seconds if we moved just a few degrees closer. How can we think that doomsday cannot occur? Science proves an asteroid obliterated the dinosaurs 65 million years ago and recently science has discovered a <a href="http://lostworlds.org/massive-solar-proton-event-fry-earth/">solar proton burst </a>sizzled our earth and extinguished countless species worldwide, no less than 12,000 years ago. Has our arrogance gone so far as to think we are immune to extinction as well?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While every generation has had it's "doomsday" scenario with plagues, World Wars, Cold Wars which we have thankfully survived. Each fear-laden time brought about changes in consciousness and slight changes or improvements in governments and systems to manage the masses.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It seems that this time around we are at a tipping point, earthquakes are occurring almost every month in places that haven't seen earthquakes in hundreds of years. In the last 2 years alone, major quakes have rocked Spain, New Zealand, Virginia, India, Alaska, Haiti, Chile, Japan. While scientists downplay it, I know I have never heard of so many earthquakes in the 4 decades of life lived so far. Add to this the theories of pole shifts caused by these quakes and fact that the <a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-02/world/chile.quake_1_axis-earth-chile?_s=PM:WORLD">Earth's axis has already been tipped</a> by Chile's earthquake causing our year to shorten by 1.26 seconds. We've had back to back natural disasters that are increasing in frequency. The proverbial shit seems to be hitting the fan and people are sensing or at least fearing that maybe there is something to the whole Maya prophecy after all. There isn't a party i've gone to recently that didn't have a doomsday joke or discussion of what could go down. It's as if the world has contracted HIV and is finally coming to terms with it's own fragile mortality. Britney wants to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3Lqg-46mDo">dance until the world ends</a>, Chris Brown wants to remember his last time with his girl <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48433PBqgg4">when the world goes by</a> and Neyo and Pitbull want to enjoy life tonight because we <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPo5wWmKEaI">might not get tomorrow</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There's a convergence of end-time scenarios beginning to blur together, preventing your average citizen from figuring it all out. There's the uber-popular Maya prophecy, the Evangelicals believe the Rapture is coming soon, Catholic Saint Malachy prophesied the last Catholic pope would be from the Order of the Olive which our current Pope St. Benedict is from. There are also astronomers that believe a 2-7 mile wide comet named the Elenin Comet will cause our demise. Finally, NASA admits they are expecting a once in a lifetime period of high solar activity coming to a peak around late 2012 (same time as Maya prophecy) that will cause an array of problems for our planet. Through my months of research on the web researching this topic and using my finely-tuned, inner bullshit filter I can now bequeath unto you my summary of the end times in order for you to have some type of preparation if and when the "walls come tumbling down".</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Doomsday scenarios that may or may not occur in the near future</u>:</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-UudpP_D8w/Tn46yHPBILI/AAAAAAAAAwg/xVXxBKRxPOg/s1600/2012tortuguero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-UudpP_D8w/Tn46yHPBILI/AAAAAAAAAwg/xVXxBKRxPOg/s320/2012tortuguero.jpg" width="269" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. <b>Maya prophecy</b> - Their long count calendar literally ends on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon">December 21, 2012</a> marking the end of one time and the emergence of a time of renewal. Some theorize that the Maya marked the end of their calendar to align with the 26,000 year alignment of our planet with the center of our Milky Way galaxy. In that center is what is called a "dark rift" an area with interstellar dust and God-only-knows what else. Some <a href="http://video.abovetopsecret.com/video7888/UFO/">Mayan elders</a> have spoken out saying that they have channeled messages that we will finally have a moment of mass contact with intelligent life from another planet. The powers that be on this planet will try to instill fear to distrust these beings and prevent their loss of power over humanity caused by this new relationship with our cosmic family. Your inner "bullshit meters" will have to be fine tuned to sort out the lies that will be spun at that time. Factoid- <a href="http://stevebeckow.com/2011/08/ufo-sightings-increase-67-percent-in-3-years-reports-mufon/">Mufon network</a> has reported that global UFO sightings have increased 67% in the last 3 years alone. An announcement will be made by <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/17/idUS269735214920110817">Mayan elders</a> before the end date, reportedly revealing more details. The only monument found that refers to this end date is Tortugero Monument 6 and some of the engravings have been damaged, preventing a full understanding of the prophecy (see photo). It says that this time will be terminated and a "darkness" will occur. Their God of creation that was present at the time of creation (<a href="http://edj.net/mc2012/bolon-yokte.html">Bolon Y'okte</a>) will then descend from the sky to witness the end of this time as well. Most Mayan elders alive today believe that this whole end-of-time thing will be an end of one era and the beginning of a renewal period or birth of a new era. Think end of all unsustainable systems that do not work for us anymore; religious intolerism, dictatorships, free-rein capitalism, money systems, global addiction to coal and oil, corporate greed, ego, etc. <b>*Survival tip- remain positive, stay calm, stay hopeful that all the old, cantankerous systems on this planet will finally go away. </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. <b>The Rapture</b>- An <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture">evangelical, extremist belief</a> that Jesus will return to the Earth to sort out the sinners and the saved. The saved would soon after be enraptured and lifted up into the heavens. The sinners will be left behind. Religiously led mass suicides a' la <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jones">Jim Jones</a> will probably occur in the days before or soon after December 21, 2012 as the religious hysteria will reach a fever pitch. <b>*Survival tip- if you believe in the Rapture then you are probably too far gone already to be saved. If you don't, you need not worry because Jesus Christ was probably a fabrication in the first place. See -<a href="http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/religulous/">Religilous</a>. </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. <b>Sudden Pole Shift of the Earth</b> - Mass extinctions caused by a magnetic pole shift after the appearance of a 10th planet named Nibiru by ancient Sumerians 6000 years ago. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3_N9_m3u28">Zechariah Sitchin</a> theorized this through his archaeological studies decades ago. Global tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and massive earthquakes would result. <b>*Survival tip- you are basically f*&%'ed if you live anywhere near a fault line, coastal area or volcano. Otherwise, run to highest land or condo in your area with lots of water and food and hope for the best</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. <b>The "days of darkness"</b>- Channeled messages from ascended master Saint Germain channeled by Aruna explains that our planet is vibrating at a higher rate and allowing us to come into contact with a 5th dimension. This will cause the veil between this dimension and other "spirit dimensions" to be thinned and more contact with ascended or highly evolved beings will be more common. Our human DNA is being altered causing many to feel lethargic while the newly activated components of our DNA are activated. The being informs us that those that are receptive are receiving higher vibratory "downloads" altering our consciousness more than ever before. She also warns of the coming "days of darkness" where the Earth will be enveloped by a certain "darkness" (could be mass power outages caused by solar flares or sun blocked by volcanic ash) for anywhere from 30-60 days. She asks that we remain calm and learn how to spend time with our loved ones in the dark, peacefully. Fear is a feeling that we must leave behind at this time and trust that this will pass. The climax to her prophecies are that beings from an intelligent planet have prepared an alternate safe planet for up to 1 million ascended souls to be transported to to save their precious genes and soul levels for the new Earth after the natural disasters have ceased. (think modern day UFO's descending to pick us up like a hundred Noah's arks in the sky). We will have 2 chances to go with them. This is unlike Rapture in that the choice will be ours to go with them or not. <b>*Survival tip- stock up on gallons of bottled water and canned or dried foods. The days of darkness should begin sometime around late september 2012. See- <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikJ3t_tZf-E">The Knowing</a> for a good representation of this scenario.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. <b>St. Malachy's prophecy</b>- A Saint had a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy_of_the_Popes">prophetic vision in 1139</a> of the end of the Catholic church that would end with our current pope and the destruction of the "7 hills of Rome" and of the Catholic church. St. Malachy doesn't go into specifics or at least the Catholic Church has never revealed how the seven hills of Rome would be destroyed. <b>*Survival tip- You can rejoice if you are a young boy or are gay because there will be no more priests to molest you or spew hate at you for being gay. This is the easiest of doomsday scenarios to survive. </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. <b>Elenin Comet</b>- A large <a href="http://modernsurvivalblog.com/space/comet-elenin-close-encounter-with-earth/">comet</a> anywhere from 2-7 miles long will reach it's closest orbital point sometime from September 27th to late November of this year, possibly causing global earthquakes and tsunamis. Some theorize that the <a href="http://thetruthbehindthescenes.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/comet-elenin-makes-sharp-turns-%E2%80%93-secchi-us-navy-website-offline/">Elenin comet</a> might even be a large <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150780475560089&set=a.218146655088.264076.213984790088&type=1&ref=nf">spacecraft</a> due to study of an enlarged photograph and observed turns that are impossible for a comet to do. <b>*Survival tip- if it is a spaceship, you will be alright as our world's energy problems will be resolved, all diseases cured and we'll finally be able to take trips around the world in seconds and never have to pay 25 dollars to check luggage or be crammed into a tiny airplane seat ever again. If aliens really wanted to invade and eat us, they would've done it thousands of years ago. If it isn't a spaceship then get to your nearest state that doesn't have fault lines and get ready for a really bumpy ride, massive power outages and possible global tsunamis.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7. <b>NASA reports of Solar activity late 2012- </b>long overdue <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_mQm2UVwkw&feature=player_embedded">Solar eruptions</a> are calculated by NASA to occur sometime late 2012, early 2013 causing possible satellite failures of cellular communications, air traffic control and possible massive blackouts caused by power grid overload. These massive blackouts would be nationwide across the globe and would take months to restore power. NASA has even released plans to evacuate the <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-space-station-may-evacuated-nov-153619971.html">International Space Station</a> for "other" reasons. <b>*Survival tip- massive power outages and cell phone service will be down for months. Store loads of can goods, nuts, water and cans of coconut water. Disaster bonus- without computers or cell phones we'll finally be able to connect to the people sitting next to us. </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My choice on the Doomsday menu above would be a combo platter of scenario 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7. It would be the fastest path to restore the balance of the ancients, end the cannibalizing of our planet and prostitution of it's resources.</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Run fast for your mother </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Run fast for your father</span></i></div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Run for your children for your sisters and brothers</span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Leave all your love and your longing behind </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">you can't carry it with you if you want to survive</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The dog days are over</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The dog days are done</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Can you hear the horses</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">'Cause here they come</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These scenarios may never occur and all this brouhaha might just be a load of rubbish but wouldn't you rather be mentally prepared instead of blindsided in case anything does go down? Either way, things are a' changing in this corner of the galaxy. Whether you believe in global warming or not, the Earth is getting hotter, droughts are increasing, people are overpopulating, the last of the dictators are all a' dying' or being removed from power. May the Maya prophecy mark a moment when the last dictator falls -a final call for the end to this dark con of man, where religions will finally be exposed for the cancer and tools of manipulation that they are. When the liars will stop lying, the deniers stop denying, the scammers stop scamming other men, when the anti-gay agendas will let go of their hate and the caste-class systems cease repressing the downtrodden. We are 6 billion <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyhnI1QiGNw&feature=related">Trumans from the Truman Show finally realizing we are caged, scratching at the edge of our reality</a>, through the lies of eons, dying to break out of this single world view. I count the days for man's universal awareness to be born. Where we finally stop thinking we are the center of the universe and know that we are not alone and never have been.</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"The President was elected with the vision of transformative change. Nothing would so transform the world as the ending of this secrecy, peaceful open contact with the Extraterrestrial Civilizations visiting Earth and the release of these wondrous new energy technologies for peaceful energy generation. In just a few years, the world will be made anew.</span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_138435517">Steven M. Greer, MD</a> </span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://cseti.org/">Director of CSETI</a></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God speed the year of jubilee The wide world o'er! When from their galling chains set free, Th' oppress'd shall vilely bend the knee, And wear the yoke of tyranny Like brutes no more. That year will come, and freedom's reign, To man his plundered rights again Restore. God speed the day when human blood Shall cease to flow! In every clime be understood, The claims of human brotherhood, And each return for evil, good, Not blow for blow; That day will come all feuds to end, And change into a faithful friend Each foe. God speed the hour, the glorious hour, When none on earth Shall exercise a lordly power, Nor in a tyrant's presence cower; But to all manhood's stature tower, By equal birth! That hour will come, to each, to all, And from his Prison-house, to thrall Go forth. Until that year, day, hour, arrive, With head, and heart, and hand I'll strive, To break the rod, and rend the gyve, The spoiler of his prey deprive -- So witness Heaven! And never from my chosen post, Whate'er the peril or the cost, Be driven. </span></div>
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</div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-24171041995749766502011-05-18T04:00:00.014-04:002011-06-28T12:05:28.995-04:00A Wrestler's Tears<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gsOKZLJLI-4WZ6eMDrHQqK7XRkgacTr4L8j7_kZJrpirR9ZF4huQOYXMFtaqjPt4yLwop0cTKy_AyNmAenrRz9BSMppDuJGRQVolNxyX1boCmLp6LKcpJhdcZcPmggJ43IPLsmmR26uk/s1600/IMG_20110122_114321.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 299px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567802931669343746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gsOKZLJLI-4WZ6eMDrHQqK7XRkgacTr4L8j7_kZJrpirR9ZF4huQOYXMFtaqjPt4yLwop0cTKy_AyNmAenrRz9BSMppDuJGRQVolNxyX1boCmLp6LKcpJhdcZcPmggJ43IPLsmmR26uk/s400/IMG_20110122_114321.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px" class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /><span style="color:#333333;"></span></span></span></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="color:#ffffff;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">A burly, sweaty guy is forcefully holding me down, his hot bull-breath, heating me up so close and fast that my neck gets wet</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. I squirm through his legs to try to take him over and get </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">him on his back, submissive...so we can finish with me on top. I work to be the top and finally win.</span></span></span></span></span><br /></span></span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#2a2a2a;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px;font-size:large;" class="Apple-style-span"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></span><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilk-xFe_sAuf2PXW6Aes1i_QHbA_xmMVY9QMO3J1OtVl1X5ESM9JO8o6WcuK-WuvMfnVPqW_cyaep8qS5u8VLw2FZIKglNPCOTCIJQ6ykPr-bCgFLcNQ0w0IeO8M2qVJqYFw9-ZlzLjY93/s1600/IMG_20110122_120004.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 299px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567802159694488354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilk-xFe_sAuf2PXW6Aes1i_QHbA_xmMVY9QMO3J1OtVl1X5ESM9JO8o6WcuK-WuvMfnVPqW_cyaep8qS5u8VLw2FZIKglNPCOTCIJQ6ykPr-bCgFLcNQ0w0IeO8M2qVJqYFw9-ZlzLjY93/s400/IMG_20110122_120004.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sounds like a raunchy scene from a porn movie, don't it? Well, it ain't. Why does such a straight sport have to look so gay? It's exactly what I observed at the local wrestling match for my older brother's first born, somewhere in the boonies of Atlanta's wilderness. A subculture of Americana playing out in front of my Miami-safe, gay-bubbled eyes.</span></div><br />My older brother, stocked full of pride that I would finally be able to witness his son's Gladiator-ness action. He hauls my ass out of bed at 6 AM so that we can make it in time for the "weigh-in", where teams of really young and tiny boys get weighed in like piglets going to farm on their way to be fattened up for an eventual slaughter. Only difference is these little piggies are their family's pride and joy destined to fulfill their dad's uncompleted life dreams. These little boys, burdened with the pressure to eliminate any signs of weakness before they even hit puberty. Some get thrown into this Herculean arena of adult expectations as early as 4 years old (mat rats). They seem to be willing enough to satisfy their parent's demands until they get into the ring. As each match begins, you hear the father's and coach's cattle calls into the ring.<br /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ffffff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Losing is not an option!</span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ffffff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ffffff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Man up!<br />Get strong!<br />Dont make excuses -make adjustments!<br />Suck it up!</span></span></b></span></div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFQh9Sa_ujr-TJR2TqeA1hKsTtztyoP3hpU8XFBGvcwvvtZsed-749MB8kY207zh9igpyaJgvEiKdFavyisrvS1GiRQhzC8OJwni5uGxZC1Y9ePQG6Q63PRG6Jic_Rfe13FGX5Bm8sxFH/s1600/IMG_20110122_101425.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567802585030998898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFQh9Sa_ujr-TJR2TqeA1hKsTtztyoP3hpU8XFBGvcwvvtZsed-749MB8kY207zh9igpyaJgvEiKdFavyisrvS1GiRQhzC8OJwni5uGxZC1Y9ePQG6Q63PRG6Jic_Rfe13FGX5Bm8sxFH/s400/IMG_20110122_101425.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All this is heaved upon these willing, young and feisty pups before they are even mature enough to know how to deal with the emotions of it. It's a surprising reaction to see them burst into tears at the end of each match; faces red and eyes swollen.</span><br /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Not just a tear but a rush-gushing of tears. Sometimes the tears come even after a win. It's the adrenaline high pressure to comply, muscle overexertion and overwhelming mental processing of their own strategy to win that breaks even the toughest of wrestlers to a whimpering-wet Sponge Bob.</span></div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To see these young Spartans walk by with their blank faces and eyes red from tears is a moment of poetic, human theater- a front row seat to a loss of innocence live and in HD. You want to reach out to them and tell them it's alright and that they did okay but at the same time you feel like you will rob them of the maturation process unfolding before you. They will with each game gain emotional intelligence, stamina and learn how to stand their ground in life. Most importantly, they learn that even when your opponents pin you down and you are about to lose, that with srength and a little bit of cunning, you can "pull a reversal" and turn a failure into a victory.</span></div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It all sounds so healthy and normal but I can't keep from thinking what this whole scene means to a child that happens to be born gay? What a sad prison of disappointment that would be for him. It'd be enough to run away and live a life on a river somewhere a' la Huckleberry Finn. The whole wrestling thing seems to be an unspoken insurance policy that their sons won't grow up to be "swishy in the hips". Unfortunately, there aren't any Glee clubs in this part of America.</span></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0btLE-LScOE6rNmg3DyqpsnIcYT4-fhCTIiZPvuIn3MAUJECAdWu7uBhmDpaTcURD3nHs-JdEf3MgrKNOxFkqMjUG2mYuxIfRFr3KmjICvwpcCFyA-GUKP5Ch25xc3XzW2ZH6lu4saWB/s1600/IMG_20110122_115951.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 299px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567801864241388674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0btLE-LScOE6rNmg3DyqpsnIcYT4-fhCTIiZPvuIn3MAUJECAdWu7uBhmDpaTcURD3nHs-JdEf3MgrKNOxFkqMjUG2mYuxIfRFr3KmjICvwpcCFyA-GUKP5Ch25xc3XzW2ZH6lu4saWB/s400/IMG_20110122_115951.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Wouldn't it be progress if our world wasn't so harsh that we had to teach our kids to be so tough? Wouldn't it be evolution that our civilization could reach such heights of civility that skills of battle would be trumped by those of selflessness and consideration for their fellow man to live in a sustainable peace? Like the great </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull-leaping"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Minoans</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> who would compete over which man could jump gracefully over a horned bull without being mauled by it's horns. Displaying human strength, agility and grace in one Olympian flip in the air over the back of a bull.</span><br /><br /><div><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 303px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606846560070612770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5T8iPnmN-9hvg5v2fM220gmUfktb0ETs2RNGv0oVfnBGmIAjT5dLSQ5XEMXH3wwfu63Rbdmr83tuhsfhQTp3OHlhSTvolyzBEp_OCsfFIsp1TaI0ie_K6Q12_nMKEVuDZVbK0IZMqkQGq/s400/bulljumpfr.jpg" /></div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When will we get to this point in our humanity? When will our values of defense budgets over educational budgets and corporate profits over civilian quality of life no longer be so fiercely important? When will greed and hoarding of wealth no longer be more important than the simple civility of spending time with your loved ones without all the complicated and expensive toys? Hopefully, it won't take a near-death of our civilization for us to wake up and evolve a little more towards bull jumping and less harvesting of innocent, wrestler's tears.</span></div><br /><div><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 264px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608333392529815698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdptb0Do5DSNPgK4aTAi31qf_HR7iTSpkC0HHtmLCCXmFYmRO7HArKBKCWCToYgJQi-3QAV1TwHAD3ziO4fDWeInOZzTqXc4vVjxUCovb620_ZG7LxxfTOJ0OcvnY9M0ewxJX39bUUpwq/s400/dad+and+son+fish.jpg" /><br /></div></div></div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-88042024261961855942011-03-26T03:33:00.012-04:002011-05-15T00:31:01.094-04:00Alone and Alright<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Qj2YpTsne-Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><div><br /><br /><br />If, for just one day, to feel a moment of love; a dream, a laugh, a kiss, a cry, our rights, our wrongs,....it would be all worth the ride, even if it were a short one.<p></p><p>This lonely boy is right where he wants to be, finding solace in solitude, relying on myself and aiming my eyes to nature for comfort. No one at my side to hurt me, disregard my feelings, under-appreciate or fight with me about petty character flaws. I have no regrets for this or any of the other countless heartbreaks my adventures in finding love have taken me to. This, a new-found, self-imposed asexuality of sorts. </p><p>I'm fulfilled by faithful "mister handy", my new MAC Powerbook and my body pillow at night...sheltered and quarantined from psychological traumas, overactive egos, self-centered queens unable to love and STD's, of course. There is unsurprisingly zero drama when I am not partnered up. I have more time to dedicate myself to my career, hoarding my nuts for the winter and spending quality time teaching my nephew the subtle differences in the sounds of crickets, frogs and birds in the wild. </p><p>My heart, locked away in its gilded cage, it's sweet disposition maintained, still supple, alive and well, not yet embittered or hardened by life's knocks and heartbreaks. I remain, open to love's magic, curveball-surprise that can change your life forever. </p><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAG_LUDvRDhtQr0Q5RBigH1RUJBw95xs4JmIofyVy_bHrftFNhCiZxvKO-1z1MhEM01ZCV0OZer9zuzN_5lpY-msKuBxHqsK8xLowdMdNxtboGfm8hbFaWsBC6vx-ZVh_s1iX0YlwL7kP/s1600/quote.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532072327429569362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAG_LUDvRDhtQr0Q5RBigH1RUJBw95xs4JmIofyVy_bHrftFNhCiZxvKO-1z1MhEM01ZCV0OZer9zuzN_5lpY-msKuBxHqsK8xLowdMdNxtboGfm8hbFaWsBC6vx-ZVh_s1iX0YlwL7kP/s320/quote.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Yet, I am stripped of any effort or desire to seek out a new challenge. He will have to seek me out or at least it will have to happen organically. I fantasize, visualizing a faceless human with a heart larger than mine and capacity for loyalty that finally matches my own. He may never materialize or even exist but imagining him makes me feel hopeful that he does, somewhere, out there, in this big-bubble of 6 billion people. Until then, I will be thankful to be alive, well, surrounded by loved ones and not stuck in a relationship with someone that is totally wrong for me.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;">My heartbroken friend confesses over the phone, "I need to be more of an asswhole.". I disagree and tell him the world has plenty of asswholes already, "You stay just the way you are and work on being a better man-You do you." </span></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;">For now, that's what I will do as well. I'll "do me" and work to improve my relationship...with my-self.<br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYl7ANG6u8PqcwmJ4jCGKH-YVzG2ZXW6i0tmyq-OuDpCB06loSpwk3Luxr8rsb-d0Re2GveHtg1x0R9a_YsNvrXaGruz0kU7XcZS8ORehj3fSnwmRO64Dhu9p99N4SVUb4owqQGwY8xdGt/s1600/self+love.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532072074072319554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYl7ANG6u8PqcwmJ4jCGKH-YVzG2ZXW6i0tmyq-OuDpCB06loSpwk3Luxr8rsb-d0Re2GveHtg1x0R9a_YsNvrXaGruz0kU7XcZS8ORehj3fSnwmRO64Dhu9p99N4SVUb4owqQGwY8xdGt/s320/self+love.jpg" /></a> </p><p><strong>"I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude."- Henry David Thoreau </strong></p></div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-84148276993731174002011-02-07T16:10:00.009-05:002011-02-24T20:14:57.241-05:00Is It Time For Us To Go "Commando"?<img style="WIDTH: 305px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571364850932656642" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TVF20EXwKgI/AAAAAAAAAuM/imRoLzCgSJs/s400/156349_461632525425_507825425_6154339_1419407_n.jpg" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAC9XqVjabKvuGRabO9TP6QeusxmIuM-yAhyD5QyiVw80Bks2fDLUVTEDPyHLZ_U0m1YrNLyjTGJDiZwbXGh-Ltu3PGrmDwb7YUxAQ9LiAoCOk6w6Z_dFMfGuHSS6tW6t2-HKvcUX8fYK/s1600/bishop-eddie-long-president-bush.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 313px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531096261896243778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAC9XqVjabKvuGRabO9TP6QeusxmIuM-yAhyD5QyiVw80Bks2fDLUVTEDPyHLZ_U0m1YrNLyjTGJDiZwbXGh-Ltu3PGrmDwb7YUxAQ9LiAoCOk6w6Z_dFMfGuHSS6tW6t2-HKvcUX8fYK/s320/bishop-eddie-long-president-bush.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Words, words words, oh ever so powerful words. They can be used to imprison people (Hitler's speeches against Jews) or liberate them (Churchill's motivational speeches to the English masses). They can also start wars (Crusades started by a Pope, Jihad started by Muslim leaders). The million dollar question is why is it that people keep listening and following these words and/or the leaders that espouse them? When will the "faithful, god-fearing sheep" grow a pair and start thinking for themselves? It's simple, they don't want to think for themselves they'd rather be lead and shown the way. The only problem is these "look over there" leaders are pointing to the wrong ails of their societies. The Muslim clerics blame the western imperialists and their all too liberal society as the problem when it's really lack of jobs, education and poor infrastructure caused by generations of bad government. The Catholic evangelists or mo' haters, like to blame the Gays and\or Abortion as the cause of the problem in America when the real problem is an all too materialistic society that overspends and lives an unsustainable and irresponsible lifestyle that is damaging our environment.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TK0XcMl5YoI/AAAAAAAAAhM/N_OwpFyAFm4/s1600/ted+haggard.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 212px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525098091037418114" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TK0XcMl5YoI/AAAAAAAAAhM/N_OwpFyAFm4/s320/ted+haggard.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">My aunt always liked to say, "when you point a finger to blame someone, you have one pointing at them and three pointing at yourself.". It's ever so true for these religious leaders that are unsurprisingly in bed with the religiously aligned Republican party. The Republican party, pound for pound has more sexual scandals than a crack addicted pimp on Biscayne Boulevard. Don't believe me, there's a whole </span><a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=296x8160"><span style="font-size:100%;">website</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> devoted to it. These charlatan leaders or snake oil salesmen (pick either) need fear to lead, it is their mother's milk and their followers are very afraid. For one reason or another these followers or "minions" just aren't wired for bravery or the self contained faith to know everything is going to be alright. Like deposed evangelist, Ted Haggard recently said in an Advocate interview "The number 1 way they can raise funds is not to encourage people to be more loving, less greedy or more kind. It's to say there's a secret homosexual agenda to siege America, and fund us so we can battle this agenda to save the family."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:15;"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 279px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571365853242527698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53xZzPBGZtkVgIOLSFYxC0kmEKgE2_AcdneI8HYiWGS7Tx9JKUaWeYVWJRcQXr_d551bHlRHMB_B3klS7aBiWbIglBI8hfcttwRUBjS0Afltmwb08-CSIq3dUnO4Ic-xlYqj8RHLBLrvI/s400/dish-122210-Despicable-Me.jpg" /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">As the whole Wikileaks debacle and mass revolutions across the Middle East can attest, the world and it's sheep are ready for the truth, in fact they are starving for it. Michael moore so eloquently put it, "Wikileaks isn't killing people, the secrets are". More and more sheep are breaking ranks and finding their own path to the truth of what is really wrong with any given country. Like </span><a href="http://www.advocate.com/Print_Issue/Cover_Stories/Is_This_a_Face_You_Can_Trust/"><span style="font-size:100%;">Ted Haggard</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;">, whose fall from grace helped him "get real" and is now advocating his small church to accept the gay community and to advocate for the religious right to follow suit. Or Sarah, the Kansas city mom who stood up to her critical pastor after she accepted her son to dress as </span><a href="http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/02/03/Daphnes_Mom_Blasts_Pastor/"><span style="font-size:100%;">Scooby Doo's Daphne</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> and created an uproar across the US. Or </span><a href="http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/02/02/Howard_Stern_Ditching_the_F_Word/"><span style="font-size:100%;">Howard Stern</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> who has finally tired of saying the word "fag" on his show after realizing the effects of bullying on gay youth in America. And the </span><a href="http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/12/10/Marriage_DVDs_to_be_Returned_to_Archdiocese/"><span style="font-size:100%;">3000 parishoners</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> that returned hate filled DVD's mailed to their homes in Minnesota in the church's effort to get people to vote against marriage equality for gays in that state. An ever-increasingly vocal yet still in the closet, Anderson Cooper criticizing a Hollywood movie trailer, getting them to remove a "that's so gay" comment out of a recent film.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">This ideological civil rights battle has reached a tipping point and we can't wait for more of our youth to commit suicide or more laws passed by religiously led drives to take away more of our rights we have fought so hard to gain. We can no longer heed the advice of the Beatles and “let it be”. We need to go balls out, "warrior up" and take action and dispel the ignorance and myths spread about us. A quick, neutralizing factor is needed to disassemble and defuse these leaders leading this war against us. Like the hustler Mike Jones was for Ted Haggard or the cop in the bathroom for Larry Craig and the 20 year old twink bringing down the ever so dark </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/05/george-rekers-anti-gay-ac_n_565142.html"><span style="font-size:100%;">George Rekers</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> in my hometown, Miami Airport.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TOg-mobG4kI/AAAAAAAAAjk/aLux1txltBU/s1600/GeorgeRekersWithHisRentBoyAtMiamiAirport.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541748174886462018" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TOg-mobG4kI/AAAAAAAAAjk/aLux1txltBU/s320/GeorgeRekersWithHisRentBoyAtMiamiAirport.jpg" /></a><br /><b></b><b><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:100%;">One of the most slapstick yet effective commando tactics is the "pie in the face". It the quickest and easiest way to make a statement and humiliate these bullies at the pulpit. Who could ever forget the pie in the face of </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmJUdLUo8HQ"><span style="font-size:100%;">Anita Bryant</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> for her anti gay crusade in the 70's after succesfully getting a gay adoption ban passed in Florida? Or the more recent pie in the face of an </span><a href="http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/11/10/Activist_Pies_Antigay_Archbishop/"><span style="font-size:100%;">antigay Bishop</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> that claimed pedophile priests should be protected and that gays deserve AIDS? The pie is a messy contraption and really hard to run with to get a good shot at any given podium. I suggest a supersize pink Slushie, a' la Glee. It's a much easier to carry and less menacing looking tool as you casually sashay and slurp your way up to the podium. The pink colored Slushie, a fitting metaphor, since pink has always been one of the most prominent colors used to represent the gay rights movement since Hitler marked homosexuals with pink triangles on their way to the concentration camps. Shakespeare once wrote, "Truth will out" but sometimes truth needs a little nudge to come to the surface, especially when the next generation of our gay brethren are dropping via suicide, gay bashing or as was recently the case for David Kato in Uganda, old fashioned hammer-to-the-head, murder. It looks like outing these human weapons of mass destruction is one of the most powerful and efficient ways to get them to stop lying and dangerously </span></span></b><b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal;font-size:100%;" class="Apple-style-span" >misguiding their flocks. They won't out themselves folks.</span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><img style="WIDTH: 380px; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571363461836810546" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TVF1jNlfqTI/AAAAAAAAAuE/jV-MZzEIk08/s400/gleeslushie91.jpg" /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">We need to "warrior up" and Act Up as we did in the 80's when we were dying by the thousands from AIDS. It's time again for us to "</span><a href="http://www.whitecolumns.org/view.html?type=exhibitions&id=524"><span style="font-size:100%;">ACT UP</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"! I certainly in no way want to incite violence but if these elected political officials or religious leaders are misrepresenting themselves and bringing violence and harm to their communities as a result, then someone needs to let these folks know who they are really following. If the journalists or the leader's peers don't out them, then who better than the gay community? We can fight using their own tactics like Gay teen activist </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKMiYUjsXKw"><span style="font-size:100%;">Caleb Laieski</span></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> who has notified officials at every school in Arizona that they must put a stop to bullying, or else he threaten to file a lawsuit however that attempt is easily ignored by these crusaders.</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TMJloeqluMI/AAAAAAAAAh4/uWDWwgAhoZg/s1600/eddie+long+sext+pics.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531095038465259714" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TMJloeqluMI/AAAAAAAAAh4/uWDWwgAhoZg/s320/eddie+long+sext+pics.jpg" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">Take the grand daddy of all evangelists in the country for the African American Community as an example; Atlanta's bishop (sexting pictures above) </span><a href="http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/01/29/Eddie_Long_Talks/"><span style="font-size:100%;">Eddie Long</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;">, who after being accused by 4 of his underaged parishoners of sexual abuse and coercion is unbelievably still preaching at his pulpit. He is one of the largest leaders of the anti-gay movement, fiercely fighting any comparison with the gay civil rights movement and the black civil rights movement in this country, stringing along a money hungry, anti-gay relative of the late Martin Luther King to prove his point. Even though Mr. Long's expensive lawyers are "mediating" before going before a judge this summer and will probably get the boys to settle out of court a' la Michael Jackson, his unfinished fall from grace was the catalyst that created an olive branch of support being offered by the </span><a href="http://www.theroot.com/views/naacp-reaches-out-gay-rights-groups"><span style="font-size:100%;">NAACP</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> to gay rights groups for a first-time-ever cooperation. It is that kind of monumental change that can happen overnight from outing these con artists. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-size:100%;">These are the real freaks, they are the bullies. Their mouths, weapons of mass destruction, much as Muslim clerics incite fatwah to kill Americans, these Benedict Arnold's of America have incited a holy war against our own children. So much so, that in one month last September, they caused 11 suicides of young citizens at the hands of a hatred born at the pulpit, emboldening youths to bully and gay bash, all in the name of the lord. The blood of these youths are the </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs"><span style="font-size:100%;">strange fruit</span></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> harvested from these charlatans.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">The trick to "going commando" is to do it right. </span><a href="http://current.com/news/92708209_larry-flynt-threatens-to-out-gay-senator.htm"><span style="font-size:100%;">Larry Flynt's offer</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> of a million dollars to "out" an antigay senator is a really powerful and effective way to get the ball rolling but he didn't name a name- yet. Money always works quickly to get mercenaries to your door but another quick way to "go commando" is to organize "baits" in the local communities where the WMD's reside and lure them via online social apps such as Facebook, Twitter, going to their church and playing the wounded dove looking for a strong father figure to mentor them. Any way to get them to meet you in private. When you do, make sure the room is completely wired and someone else has a high def, FlipCam aimed at the meeting. Video is much more effective at proving their gay-ways than an easily adultered photo. You can also call IRS to report religious organizations that take part in political initiatives or ballots. Religious organizations that do this should lose their tax exempt status, period! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">While there are hundreds of gay advocacy groups (HRC, GLAAD, Lambda legal, Save Dade, etc.) effecting great change, using the same legal system to fight our enemies that they use against us, it is taking too long and the gay suicides and bashings are still happening every month. Evangelists are even exporting their hate and causing gay death penalties to be added to the books of African countries that already give years of jail time for being caught in any homosexual act. We also have had huge victories in the last several years; repeal of DADT, Proposition 8 overturned, Matthew Shepard act was signed into law by Obama, removal of the HIV restriction for visa and immigration entries into the US and gay marriage rights being won in many states. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">It's time to up the ante and show them these </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkmEZs_Kcms"><span style="font-size:100%;">American idiots with their redneck agendas</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> what a gay agenda really is about. It's about civil rights for all and "outing" the truth, however ugly that may be. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">Hopefully then, the minions will tire of being minions and look inside themselves for the answers to what is right and wrong without the need for a religion to feed it to them. It's high time they take the wheel and drive themselves to enlightenment road.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-size:100%;">So watch your back </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/17/maggie-gallagher-top-10-b_n_685325.html"><span style="font-size:100%;">Maggie Gallagher</span></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">, </span><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/advocate/20110204/ts_advocate/activists_call_for_justice_in_kato_murder_1"><span style="font-size:100%;">Rick Warren</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;">, </span><a href="http://freethinker.co.uk/2011/01/30/anti-gay-lunatic-scott-lively-attempts-to-wash-his-hands-of-david-kato%E2%80%99s-murder/"><span style="font-size:100%;">Scott Lively</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;">, </span><a href="http://nomexposed.org/2011/01/20/noms-brian-brown-running-to-u-s-congress-to-revoke-same-sex-marriage-in-dc/"><span style="font-size:100%;">Brian Brown</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;">, </span><a href="http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2009/02/nations-1-anti-gay-hater-james-dobson.html"><span style="font-size:100%;">James Dobson</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-size:100%;">, and </span><a href="http://holybulliesandheadlessmonsters.blogspot.com/2009/12/rachel-maddow-annihiliates-ex-gay.html"><span style="font-size:100%;">Richard Cohen</span></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">; we are coming to snare and expose you We will snare you. We will look underneath your beds and in your dirty closets, take samples and pictures, CSI Miami style until you are busted. <b><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal" class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This is a war we are fighting- a war against terror and religious extremism in our efforts to win equal rights and a more civilized, less violent world, securing a real and new homeland security.</span></span></b></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">The next time you see any of these self-hating mo's at their pulpits pointing fingers at how sinful homosexuality is, just smile and ask yourself- "When will you get busted in a gay bathhouse or your naughty pics to underage boys hit the web?"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">Kandi Burruss from Housewives of ATL, "Every saint has a past and every sinner a future." We are the "sinners" in this battle and </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQZhN65vq9E"><span style="font-size:100%;">we've got the love</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> to get through this war.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">*This video of YouTube'r Cadillac Kimberly is dead on and totally worth a listen.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><object width="580" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MBwlR0wrhkw?fs=1&hl=en_US&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><br /><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MBwlR0wrhkw?fs=1&hl=en_US&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="360"></embed></object><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">"Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer." William Burroughs</span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:100%;">A great video on the effectiveness of </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA1WQ_kVUYA&feature=related"><span style="font-size:100%;">PieIng</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> for political activism.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.zimbio.com/America"><span style="font-size:100%;">The 8 largest scandals that outed politicians</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/10/22/Fins_Dump_Church_Over_Antigay_Comments/"><span style="font-size:100%;">The largest mass exodus of 24,000 parishioners at one time from an Evangelical church over it's position on gay equality</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br />The </span><a href="http://canyonwalkerconnections.com/2010/11/ten-myths-about-the-glbt-community-a-christian-perspective/"><span style="font-size:100%;">10 most prominent lies</span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"> told about the LGBT community.<br /></span></div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-80612568981333835782011-01-01T23:20:00.045-05:002011-01-11T02:18:07.155-05:00Cheers To A New Year<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TSo36R2DU7I/AAAAAAAAApk/jDLH1VEvoME/s1600/gbye%2B2010.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560318164304352178" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TSo36R2DU7I/AAAAAAAAApk/jDLH1VEvoME/s400/gbye%2B2010.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><div>Standing in the main lobby of South Beach's Lincoln Road movie theater, watching the dense crowd of people exiting a movie and coming towards me like a herd of colorful cattle. I stand in the middle to get the best seat at this parade. As colorful as Miami is, I never seem to get bored with its diversity. Its the quintessential city to people-watch.<br /><br />I look to my left and observe an abundantly plump woman plopped on a bench with her arms lifelessly hanging in front of her. I imagine her naked and envision a Big Mac with arms. I get whiffs of conversations as they walk by and swirl around me. They're either complaining about the movie or praising it, discussing the stresses of relationships or of surviving in this difficult economy. <br /><br />I pause to think about the second terrible year all these people and I have just suffered through and I snap out of it, cracking a grin at the sight of a frizzy, red-haired, chic old lady with black tights and an oversized, bedazzled sweater sashays by, looking like a Liza Minelli wanna-be. Two Latinas conga-by either side of me, oozing sexiness in skintight miniskirts, tall leather black boots, curves like a manatee and perfume like a ripe mango spritzed with jasmine. A couple of skinny, yamaka-wearing, pimple-faced, Jewish boys walk by whispering to each other. A Jaguar-stud with his metrosexual look and Ferragamo loafers checks out the giraffe-tall models walking in front of him while his beautiful wife is on his arm, not noticing a thing. A couple of cute, slender gay boys on their first date, being coyly flirtatious with each other while ordering popcorn and bottled water (Coke is so 2005). I wish for a moment I was on a date then quickly realize I'm perfectly content with my bachelor status. I turn and notice a little boy feistily pulling his hand out and away from his mother's grasp, frustrated, he looks out the window wishing time would pass faster so he could be a grown up already. <br /><br />The one unifying aspect of 2010 is that everyone in every nation on the planet all know too well how challenging these last couple of years have been. At least now, we can be confident in knowing that we survived this one. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKT7Fcu1nK4OvPITNsxOVLVkLm45O82N9WiWvmi069n_aFbyTzqiNZ9QoZouAtaxAKwuHrwezF_GemDJ2faQuXMbZkC0huaeU9dHNbWquNSzafL_o92N9V32Vx-mB-Ob9DVjy7QKWrSZa/s1600/a+veces.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557449295450543426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKT7Fcu1nK4OvPITNsxOVLVkLm45O82N9WiWvmi069n_aFbyTzqiNZ9QoZouAtaxAKwuHrwezF_GemDJ2faQuXMbZkC0huaeU9dHNbWquNSzafL_o92N9V32Vx-mB-Ob9DVjy7QKWrSZa/s400/a+veces.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The end of the year is the time to brush off the nastiness and recharge to stand tall again with a renewed effort to make old or new dreams a reality. It's up to us how we will look at the things that will happen to us in the year ahead. Do we look at them as tragic disasters or as opportunities to finally rid this planet of its old, cantankerous and unsustainable systems? While we can't change the bad things that happen, we can change the way we look at them. I promise myself to move forward into the new year with more consideration and mindfulness at every step. I silently pray that this year's challenges nudge us all closer to connecting to our own peace of mind so that we may share that peace with whoever we encounter along our journeys and may that peace spread as virally as a new video on YouTube.<br /><br />My friend finally frees himself from the long line and scores our munchies from the snackbar. We walk into Tron 3D and towards a new year with oodles of chances for something good or at least something better than last year to happen to us.<br /><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuwCF7jLExAN-D2xUwWS2AwjvClT80S1zd3S9uEVT9tA7tz9X8kxPOqze8Wb8SsqKXV3s3PQVNd-Ps4HCJMxoHwapuiu-tKJqZ2okYfAgWxEb118vo-wuTCxbC-rHK1YOPJgNho2WDuQ-/s1600/2011.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557449166409082322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuwCF7jLExAN-D2xUwWS2AwjvClT80S1zd3S9uEVT9tA7tz9X8kxPOqze8Wb8SsqKXV3s3PQVNd-Ps4HCJMxoHwapuiu-tKJqZ2okYfAgWxEb118vo-wuTCxbC-rHK1YOPJgNho2WDuQ-/s400/2011.jpg" /></a></p></div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-19464054262786504382010-12-07T04:30:00.042-05:002010-12-09T14:22:23.790-05:00Tasting Another Slice of the Miami Orange<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HS_lZwiSww0U3r7L0b0b4bh7WM-fHdq8i7UVdS6LrUk9tyYAVOMouAWHBH3u7QCuROkt1CpkzwsGmeDYzWn1PhrMC4YrM4DipGCOnDQxcAOoP-rGrVerzkCGPDQE8MrE1_xWcKksqsie/s1600/DSC09200.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548624852309571410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HS_lZwiSww0U3r7L0b0b4bh7WM-fHdq8i7UVdS6LrUk9tyYAVOMouAWHBH3u7QCuROkt1CpkzwsGmeDYzWn1PhrMC4YrM4DipGCOnDQxcAOoP-rGrVerzkCGPDQE8MrE1_xWcKksqsie/s400/DSC09200.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKNpRnK2_GRkrnBl6by1H-cw1yURyVwNAy8xn7nFy3ayQL2qqIv6UFjzwNS7gDH6_Qmc1ZKgeILkvybw6V93QMVl7QxvY75qdDjF6e0q5lFuTLHuKzGblaMiF567OL3roS-wF37r7fNyP/s1600/DSC09125.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548616308194416802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKNpRnK2_GRkrnBl6by1H-cw1yURyVwNAy8xn7nFy3ayQL2qqIv6UFjzwNS7gDH6_Qmc1ZKgeILkvybw6V93QMVl7QxvY75qdDjF6e0q5lFuTLHuKzGblaMiF567OL3roS-wF37r7fNyP/s400/DSC09125.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_c0q2T54YK__PIjUmRRTRJWGjeaHwJS78YhUhz1iaMzKuvQZspPu4D8Qzseet7fvLMs1XvyMcK4G95Sxo1JBtpje45qaqjhhBC5Gs4u391mZ8PbNCBkef9m6yAild2LGlMYlyUJFs_P9x/s1600/tatiana+suarez.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548614650358621618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_c0q2T54YK__PIjUmRRTRJWGjeaHwJS78YhUhz1iaMzKuvQZspPu4D8Qzseet7fvLMs1XvyMcK4G95Sxo1JBtpje45qaqjhhBC5Gs4u391mZ8PbNCBkef9m6yAild2LGlMYlyUJFs_P9x/s320/tatiana+suarez.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0OiA_fU8B-SRV70Mi6YCHUQ1YHbaypLABlPmdiU63A5D4eihuL4T_lwC_7BT3QmmvreWoaaOfk0ZdCDjJyr56_Gu6dGj-v9X3QrtXB6GmKmvojmt7hyDrorsqPn8DA2rl2G9Uq7Isvnb/s1600/DSC08937.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548614657468815026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0OiA_fU8B-SRV70Mi6YCHUQ1YHbaypLABlPmdiU63A5D4eihuL4T_lwC_7BT3QmmvreWoaaOfk0ZdCDjJyr56_Gu6dGj-v9X3QrtXB6GmKmvojmt7hyDrorsqPn8DA2rl2G9Uq7Isvnb/s320/DSC08937.JPG" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.tatisuarez.com/">http://www.tatisuarez.com/</a></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKH0DpK6SFWpksxs2Y3ee6NvLOPQJuqbgRqyzV3vk1gOd8u64Jx5309yPB0kKY2qo00cJzldWLA27X3x5bNi5hSRkcwY3m4SYPYaorbGtKYieEA3QqV9yT0zdZB0OeTUEZucU9f31cc0U/s1600/DSC09147.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548627139358429186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKH0DpK6SFWpksxs2Y3ee6NvLOPQJuqbgRqyzV3vk1gOd8u64Jx5309yPB0kKY2qo00cJzldWLA27X3x5bNi5hSRkcwY3m4SYPYaorbGtKYieEA3QqV9yT0zdZB0OeTUEZucU9f31cc0U/s400/DSC09147.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://fumeroism.com/">http://fumeroism.com/</a><br /><br />I stumble upon a cool group of cyclists while buying some freshly smoked "street meat" in Wynwood during this year's Art Basel in front of the new <a href="http://www.panthercoffee.com/Panther_Coffee/Panther_Coffee.html">Panther Coffee shop</a> on NW 2nd Avenue. They chat me up and offer a bike tour of the Wynwood outdoor art murals. I say "hell yeah" and sign up for tomorrow's ride. </div><br /><div>Wynwood is in a world of it's own, this year's Art Basel reinforced the assertion that this is definitely NOT South Beach. It is on the edge, literally. It lies sandwiched between the posh Design District and hipster-central, Midtown Miami neighborhoods but is totally another raw, unrefined flavor to Miami's spicy melting pot. It was once a fashion and industrial district with a large Puerto Rican population but is now fast becoming the next place to find inspiration and respite from conformism. </div><br /><div>The bike tour guides from <a href="http://emergemiami.com/">Emerge Miami</a> offered me a chance to learn more about the artists that created the murals littered all over the area. I thought this would be the perfect way to see another layer to this whole Art Basel phenomenon that few get to learn about. I've snapped shots at these murals for months now while driving through my neighborhood of Midtown and have been noticing a recent explosion of fresh and innovative artwork, transforming this blighted neighborhood in the middle of nowhere.<br /><br />This nowhere has become somewhere overnight thanks to it's visionary artists and developers like David Lombardi of Wynwood lofts, <a href="http://www.cafeinamiami.com/">Cafeina</a>, <a href="http://www.panthercoffee.com/Panther_Coffee/Panther_Coffee.html">Panther Coffee house</a> and of course the man with the Midas touch, Tony Goldman, proprietor of <a href="http://www.joeyswynwood.com/">Joey's Cafe</a>' and the sexy, new <a href="http://wynwoodkitchenandbar.com/home.html">Wynwood Kitchen</a>. I remember Tony when he first laid eyes on South Beach back in 1988 and I had just rented a studio apartment in his building on 8th and Ocean drive overlooking the beach for only $350-. Tony was finishing his first remodel of an art deco hotel on South Beach. It was the Park Central and it stood out like a diamond surrounded by charcoal. It was one of the first hotels to be painted with the colorful pastel palette. In those days, the buildings were all depressing, earthy browns and beiges with all of the art deco lines lost from lack of maintenance and color to highlight their beauty. His friend he brought down from New York to manage my the apartment building where I lived was Mark Soyka who was planning to manage a little cafe' named News Cafe'. The rest, as you know is history and Tony's vision was the seed that germinated into the hedonistic, global mecca that is South Beach today.<br /><br />Flash forward to 2010, Tony's golden fingers are spreading their fairy dust over Wynwood and it is a wonderful transformation to see a nuclear holocaust, concrete jungle burst into colors and bloom galleries on every corner. He commissioned top name artists for the <a href="http://www.miamiartguide.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3251:wynwood-walls-art-basel-events&catid=18&Itemid=100141">Wynwood Walls project</a>. Kenny Scharf, <a href="http://obeygiant.com/headlines/obey-x-miami-art-basel-2010">Shepard Fairy</a> who did the <a href="http://obeygiant.com/headlines/obama">Obama campaign poster</a> and <a href="http://jeffsoto.com/">Jeff Soto</a> to name a few, all came together to transform bare concrete walls into individual dimensional doorways into each of their minds. A virtual Alice in Wonderland for art lovers. This project has inspired other wall commissions all over Wynwood from companies like Levi's, <a href="http://www.primaryflight.com/">Primary Flight</a>, and Sharpie and the list keeps growing. Wynwood's murals are currently one of the largest mural installations in the world featuring over 250 artists from around the globe. Primary flight is the main promoter of "legal street art" in Miami and has helped to bring other corporate sponsors.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVs1jbcs4rUkVlkZjBdCi-qv_mgIESzFxmCWwkXkxgdOHY02HnZQKLAl0yliQqawYuOdDQb0kj5k6BkI_4X0XLfg8M0daTTBzY6RJSrOydcv33093Dphv_KvEqrhlz4bPDxxCNhr5nfLa5/s1600/DSC09189.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548634230679540370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVs1jbcs4rUkVlkZjBdCi-qv_mgIESzFxmCWwkXkxgdOHY02HnZQKLAl0yliQqawYuOdDQb0kj5k6BkI_4X0XLfg8M0daTTBzY6RJSrOydcv33093Dphv_KvEqrhlz4bPDxxCNhr5nfLa5/s400/DSC09189.JPG" /></a><br /><br />I awake to another perfectly blue, crystal clear winter day in Miami and I gear up on my beach cruiser with my 10 year old nephew and ride over to Cafeina to meet the bikers for our tour. My nephew is amp'ed to see all the artists on scissor lifts painting murals live in <a href="http://www.cafeinamiami.com/">Cafeina lounge's </a>side parking lot. It was like walking into an open air museum, the way art should be enjoyed in the fresh air, spotlighted by the sun.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVi_pR6KeKlb8BR0lbuNC-_F6WPP-bhrWjjVfIOo5sOgY9K7eTHvUQD_5i_w2ckxBazywu07zF_TWf8aTKtClrOX2F9Zy4Hx-c21D0whsQdYJRXJiZl7L_mLeB3NRg3Ar_ZnIsSYqefwNZ/s1600/DSC09126.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548616313599352754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVi_pR6KeKlb8BR0lbuNC-_F6WPP-bhrWjjVfIOo5sOgY9K7eTHvUQD_5i_w2ckxBazywu07zF_TWf8aTKtClrOX2F9Zy4Hx-c21D0whsQdYJRXJiZl7L_mLeB3NRg3Ar_ZnIsSYqefwNZ/s400/DSC09126.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We see so many bad ass works of art that I piss off my biker brothers for falling too far behind to take pictures. We turn the corner into what looks like an abandoned warehouse complex that is a shell of a building littered with hundreds of graffitti artists and their girlfriends and baby future graffitti artists. There were guys hanging from steel roof beams on ladders painting over every square inch of bare concrete. It was a massive beehive with each worker bee, working their magic in a peaceful synchronicity. No gang violence or cops here just pure street art. A lot of the business owners are more than happy to have their walls painted so the stigma of illegal tagging of walls isn't an issue here.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtohuignV4X8tpXaSbQXv4HYzgOqbn2ZxjWbRg4ZuHqcdSbKtHgpgre-8WzPEbeq1ZIJdWtyDe9j-YMl6MKNJxTTHLLdbTtHDx-QSOANx8JbxISooDwhK1SS5GFOcK6wLEFVl3Si0FyFGO/s1600/DSC09050.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548629945124485010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtohuignV4X8tpXaSbQXv4HYzgOqbn2ZxjWbRg4ZuHqcdSbKtHgpgre-8WzPEbeq1ZIJdWtyDe9j-YMl6MKNJxTTHLLdbTtHDx-QSOANx8JbxISooDwhK1SS5GFOcK6wLEFVl3Si0FyFGO/s400/DSC09050.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNulSTsofqL51fmlF1vaZ5g75k_HdmmelV8JRSzojAjA181lZMQYExYuZKZyUtSi4noDLo8nNkZDzthOlhormnB_udXg7iXnHbf7XEtgZopQ9oEcs3evGo7rWIpUnRorf3DlAnQv_eAEg/s1600/DSC09098.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548629927439393666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNulSTsofqL51fmlF1vaZ5g75k_HdmmelV8JRSzojAjA181lZMQYExYuZKZyUtSi4noDLo8nNkZDzthOlhormnB_udXg7iXnHbf7XEtgZopQ9oEcs3evGo7rWIpUnRorf3DlAnQv_eAEg/s400/DSC09098.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdMSKuxxruJJiFsBS-Km1KQZHxb1j6N5qBMT9NgUxDaa6rl4oFOGQgpCugdMdhvK1HFhgUa-RnzjTBla1SkFqNOuE-NSuQGpDNsbfxs_AE40XfLISM6T6e-MnDZ4s2sZN1kmNHC0GqppP/s1600/DSC09090.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548629916580825218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdMSKuxxruJJiFsBS-Km1KQZHxb1j6N5qBMT9NgUxDaa6rl4oFOGQgpCugdMdhvK1HFhgUa-RnzjTBla1SkFqNOuE-NSuQGpDNsbfxs_AE40XfLISM6T6e-MnDZ4s2sZN1kmNHC0GqppP/s400/DSC09090.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdx8_319q-4-vR7fndtjVM81hwQ75be4KKKRlfhzde3OWV6hq8r4qLNSv2744Na2ecLFj21gRNSyRkIgmD0asxaDiC3z9LPZSxYIlvoAKOL6TYqRjzdUc8tRUKr8Cxaap4LEV5rVUrUl4/s1600/DSC09083.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548627142860940162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdx8_319q-4-vR7fndtjVM81hwQ75be4KKKRlfhzde3OWV6hq8r4qLNSv2744Na2ecLFj21gRNSyRkIgmD0asxaDiC3z9LPZSxYIlvoAKOL6TYqRjzdUc8tRUKr8Cxaap4LEV5rVUrUl4/s400/DSC09083.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hygEQlmMz9WLiYs6t4oqgBThX3ZW0y5lL9uSXP205nPQE69XYYmTvgomOVL3XTw-ZslnDIT4LcwVL84B9S-sXIGGPSCb1YiCIuOpaw7X9hQ1QVTaNXEBNvRWZtEAwEbcSP_pZYMTls7e/s1600/DSC09089.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548634228882097922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hygEQlmMz9WLiYs6t4oqgBThX3ZW0y5lL9uSXP205nPQE69XYYmTvgomOVL3XTw-ZslnDIT4LcwVL84B9S-sXIGGPSCb1YiCIuOpaw7X9hQ1QVTaNXEBNvRWZtEAwEbcSP_pZYMTls7e/s400/DSC09089.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQYCF3JEfdZtVVnNFIJCHoHi3DVOzYlp_L2pnvUKtXk_Ofs4WmFz6JdRDJwYhpO6_U5-9-Ikij9GxhppOVNSOy3JmUA8u8MbGcwJIWVOckIuoLuyR0Aub0ZLE13gK0nf_I2Q3X_cwpOlg/s1600/DSC09082.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548634217298738866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQYCF3JEfdZtVVnNFIJCHoHi3DVOzYlp_L2pnvUKtXk_Ofs4WmFz6JdRDJwYhpO6_U5-9-Ikij9GxhppOVNSOy3JmUA8u8MbGcwJIWVOckIuoLuyR0Aub0ZLE13gK0nf_I2Q3X_cwpOlg/s400/DSC09082.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Our tour guide goes on to explain a lot of the art and tells us of my favorite artist <a href="http://www.fatcap.com/graffiti/1262-el-mac-retna-miami.html">Retna</a> who uses his own form of hieroglyphics in his murals which only he can decipher. Another story tells of a legendary pioneering graffitti artist named <a href="http://miamiherald.typepad.com/crime_scene/2010/07/graf-writer-ynot-inspired-many.html">Ynot</a> that passed away but is not forgotten. Artists in the area tag walls with his logo all over Wynwood to keep his memory alive.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKB80dFy6_nRW2CVE9hnRvZqjP8r70Zlp2GfkBsv9X8SYxDaPcXbeyXKfzeZFC2CO05KxMX-45A6Pr9dkZ12-elt1BJ4LicyGAfwTD8fHpuKbkK6Uw06PTpMZ8LDyxqSGLqyjvKqJe8YP/s1600/DSC09104.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548627151910878050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKB80dFy6_nRW2CVE9hnRvZqjP8r70Zlp2GfkBsv9X8SYxDaPcXbeyXKfzeZFC2CO05KxMX-45A6Pr9dkZ12-elt1BJ4LicyGAfwTD8fHpuKbkK6Uw06PTpMZ8LDyxqSGLqyjvKqJe8YP/s400/DSC09104.JPG" /></a><br /><br />The sad but poetic truth is that these murals are just as mortal as the humans that paint them. They will either be painted over quickly or be destroyed by the elements over time. Like a sand castle competition, the only way to capture this fleeting beauty is to take a picture before it's gone. One of the murals I photographed was already painted over by a buzzkill landlord 2 days later.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAfZW5i2I6yJ4cwGXfRm37AVbSVfmPmzmgZnXZI9bb9Ojpka7lubiB1bHHswa-99RnDShx65rhvu9cAk8bGZfbA2lyzctbWhWe3i475f9KacpO174kR_wLXuR-P5xriEzCQQU0IxvNyNq/s1600/DSC08942.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548624840244703218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAfZW5i2I6yJ4cwGXfRm37AVbSVfmPmzmgZnXZI9bb9Ojpka7lubiB1bHHswa-99RnDShx65rhvu9cAk8bGZfbA2lyzctbWhWe3i475f9KacpO174kR_wLXuR-P5xriEzCQQU0IxvNyNq/s400/DSC08942.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLs5n-fVW3yIBkL91Rcq3fE3-dzu5dL71qNvXWq5K9nQPcBJsT8ZlGY9m79dHr7-BHZdU9mw8lNRqTaTMXRP2ddTnjClhwMoNKB73a7hdJzlpXRS3g220vGB_7NgXMp29i9YGvF4pVhGwa/s1600/DSC08968.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548624848906034162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLs5n-fVW3yIBkL91Rcq3fE3-dzu5dL71qNvXWq5K9nQPcBJsT8ZlGY9m79dHr7-BHZdU9mw8lNRqTaTMXRP2ddTnjClhwMoNKB73a7hdJzlpXRS3g220vGB_7NgXMp29i9YGvF4pVhGwa/s400/DSC08968.JPG" /></a><br /><br />All in all, this was one of the most refreshing and inspirational things I did during this culture bomb they call Art Basel this year and hope I get to do it again in 2011. It adds to the list of the "wonderful things" that make My-Ami, the real Miami; home for me. Let's just hope and pray that neither Pottery Barn nor <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=136824562964&ref=ts">Romero Britto</a> set their sights on Wynwood and it remains the edgy and inspirational place it is today. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJT1ReZWKPqD7MF_crDjYlUmQndXuI4WCUj5vAg1cUv1MIOEoOi_RXC91qRvhyphenhyphenuja1daK-R7Q9XU8cRh1M9YwjPZCs33StFu2DznvXOLRJ_depba9VKs4wMcj91U2llVclKToEeOIJIEB/s1600/DSC09060.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548614676600416370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJT1ReZWKPqD7MF_crDjYlUmQndXuI4WCUj5vAg1cUv1MIOEoOi_RXC91qRvhyphenhyphenuja1daK-R7Q9XU8cRh1M9YwjPZCs33StFu2DznvXOLRJ_depba9VKs4wMcj91U2llVclKToEeOIJIEB/s320/DSC09060.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWa2QOyKPlzeqp_Z7zDnnbcdmx4KFsCE9RUE1s1LM8B_n7yfAQKncl0Iglrfd5ZAb6AqAQc5b6UQWu-aB1LpKpNpMZa5lwVp-6u_CBHuOg2T-zmB82Kfms8ufhu5R1xYO6hP1Hk7qwTv4/s1600/DSC09197.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548616322126751186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWa2QOyKPlzeqp_Z7zDnnbcdmx4KFsCE9RUE1s1LM8B_n7yfAQKncl0Iglrfd5ZAb6AqAQc5b6UQWu-aB1LpKpNpMZa5lwVp-6u_CBHuOg2T-zmB82Kfms8ufhu5R1xYO6hP1Hk7qwTv4/s400/DSC09197.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Learn more about the Miami graffitti movement <a href="http://miamigraffiti.com/index.php">here</a>.<br /><p></p><p></p><p>*Hot Miami tip- Check out <strong>La Guarderia produce market</strong> on 34th street and NW 2nd avenue and grab oodles of fresh produce and fruit for a fraction of what it would cost at your local Publix. It's totally worth the trek.<br /></p><p>A great short film on the origins of Miami's Art Basel and it's arts community, highlighting some of it's most prominent pioneers and shapers of our magic city, recently premiered at Wynwood's only independent film house, <a href="http://o-cinema.org/">O Cinema</a>.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8cStAhFqsUM&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8cStAhFqsUM&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object><br /></p></div></div></div></div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-45127358181213696222010-11-25T05:40:00.004-05:002011-05-19T04:19:58.367-04:00The Quest to Give Thanks In Today's Demanding World<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5n7bxMqyMU?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q5n7bxMqyMU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><div><br /><strong><strong><strong>I wanted to share a very personal message written to my family on Thanksgiving day in hopes that you too can find something to be thankful for in this ever increasingly polarized and embattled country and maybe get closer to be a little more united.</strong></strong></strong> <p></p>We are living in a time where so many wrongs are highlighted and communicated every day, incessantly. So many networks of people communicating the issues that make them afraid or upset. We also have so many new ways of sharing hope and the progress towards making this a more connected and harmonious world. The family and friends that are gathered here today have all gone through so many struggles and have come from all parts of this still great country to break bread together and give thanks for all that we have. I was tossing and turning the other night until 5:00 am and was reviewing all the events of the last several years and couldn’t believe all the changes and trials we have survived. We have lost fathers, mothers, cherished grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, lifelong friends, loving pets. We have survived 2 wars, terrorist attacks and a recession that was a hair away from a great depression. I thought to myself after all that, what would the spirits of our lost family members tell me to be thankful for? Call me crazy, but they all responded in unison, so loudly that I had to get up and write this all down to share with you. What they said was “you all have right now”. Tomorrow, next year, next month is all uncertain but you have this moment, right now to come together and enjoy each other’s presence, to enjoy a memorable moment with our beautiful family. Nothing would make them… and mom more happy than to see us smile at each other and renew an unspoken promise that no matter what tragedies may come, that we stay together. When differences arise, change the subject and talk about a more unifying topic like gardening or vacations or what dreams you dare to envision…or even funny videos on YouTube; whatever it takes to find common ground and share a smile.<br /><br />We have what our passed family members don’t…time to smile and be with each other. Let’s not waste this opportunity and celebrate that we are alive, healthy and full of so many chances for greatness. We have a unique and very strong minded family, that sometimes doesn’t always see eye to eye. The unifying force is we do share a love for each other and we are all amazing souls that I give thanks every day to be a part of.<br /><br />Cheers to a better world! <p></p><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJqayHsktViaiLRxVaF2lji53kstTeyT0gW4QBGthNsLaFidTY3pbq2A0nm_N2VFV3HmFgMKKRLCcuPt3koVZrzyRWl7aXN0-nZPXWH80hYm6U7uSa0-CYOuqC6sQ-YsmDjxqwqgEQsdit/s1600/Untitled-1a.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543067730933418130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJqayHsktViaiLRxVaF2lji53kstTeyT0gW4QBGthNsLaFidTY3pbq2A0nm_N2VFV3HmFgMKKRLCcuPt3koVZrzyRWl7aXN0-nZPXWH80hYm6U7uSa0-CYOuqC6sQ-YsmDjxqwqgEQsdit/s320/Untitled-1a.jpg" /></a></p></div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-39269904556725265432010-10-23T00:27:00.036-04:002010-11-20T18:51:10.886-05:00The Tragedy of Becoming a "Manny"<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sRbKzumSPVw?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sRbKzumSPVw?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />I entered willingly into this 7 day experiment stuck inside a parental incubator\pressure cooker, converting me into a Man-nanny or "manny" for short. I am a nightowl that never wakes up before 9:30 and had to instantly transform myself from a nocturnal to diurnal creature (learned that word from the kids' science homework). The luxury of time deleted from my life, every minute strategized and tightly orchestrated to be able to fit in the obligations of each day to keep this brood of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Von_Trapp_Children">Von Trapp</a> children alive and happy.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrj9X2fsLgHwxfidzPy3Nc1xCcSTUvOob-bPgAKHlDwB6Am0CJI4rBgg575m5C8TUwJL3tCAwV7CmTFD-Rw5S7DPE_DkVAWlkwmzS5ec9Dv1flaBryiOytj_MbN4_aaqT14EODEGrg3tfR/s1600/DSCN2426.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 247px; HEIGHT: 315px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531099587783934162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrj9X2fsLgHwxfidzPy3Nc1xCcSTUvOob-bPgAKHlDwB6Am0CJI4rBgg575m5C8TUwJL3tCAwV7CmTFD-Rw5S7DPE_DkVAWlkwmzS5ec9Dv1flaBryiOytj_MbN4_aaqT14EODEGrg3tfR/s320/DSCN2426.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Crazed, sleep deprived visions of breeding colonies sprang to my mind where children are raised in segregated golden pastures in the countryside, inside greenhouses like cabbage patch dolls each with their dedicated nurses to dote on them 24-7. This was the most perfect scenario in my mind.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7P9-9ON7MmHejlSQF0u16dGMzMApvAU5LK3gjaM70Zx-PN5E3mNz0n9X13suyW99Hsy5zyGUkbA6Z6xkmKU-KJgjbzYg1XiLjfq8Fy0BSYbIMUUmBU6jcvBKSgKlJFD77PTahGcXOjQ5/s1600/cabbage.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 215px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532210668869019634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7P9-9ON7MmHejlSQF0u16dGMzMApvAU5LK3gjaM70Zx-PN5E3mNz0n9X13suyW99Hsy5zyGUkbA6Z6xkmKU-KJgjbzYg1XiLjfq8Fy0BSYbIMUUmBU6jcvBKSgKlJFD77PTahGcXOjQ5/s320/cabbage.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This parental dance requires you to immediately forget your previous identity and transform into someone that solely thinks of the wellbeing of their little ducklings. So much so, that I'd forget to shave, shower or even brush my teeth. Don't even think about blogging, the gym, facials, night creams, long showers or vegging in front of the telly. My life was no longer mine. I felt myself transforming into a shoeless, Yugoslavian mountain woman with a faint smell of sweaty goat and sprigs of hay in my matted hair. I was no longer a footloose and fancy-free bachelor, I was now married to this family. It was a tragic feeling to mourn the loss of my previous life and imagined a lifetime of this. Thank God it was only temporary. I gained a newfound respect for the mothers and fathers of the world. The amount of dedication and responsibility required is dumbfounding to the brain. Thank God the ever-giving-tree of a grandmother was there to take care of the 2 year old and grace us with her scrumptiously-Spanish cooking every night. If it weren't for her, I think I wouldve completely lost my marbles. It was a completely foreign and unusual experience to eat together every night with the 6 of us cracking jokes and sharing stories of the day. My "family meal" back in my Miami condo consisted of eating a sandwich standing over my sink or grabbing a quick bite with a friend on my way home from the gym. The rhythm of this life is as different as hip hop is to Beethoven.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq4Ic2ab8XQwQGJ8GQhvW0ZqVdReSop-Ne1YMBGUUMeXd-IkNwTcc5ivCcbN_LKXd9z3lEqqIQ1mKksS50duXo7DC6RMzfRSs42nEaP9HbSqwdB9E99dEKZgva_BJYZs5SeuNPtN454O4/s1600/IMG00030-20101014-0902.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531104661522749138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq4Ic2ab8XQwQGJ8GQhvW0ZqVdReSop-Ne1YMBGUUMeXd-IkNwTcc5ivCcbN_LKXd9z3lEqqIQ1mKksS50duXo7DC6RMzfRSs42nEaP9HbSqwdB9E99dEKZgva_BJYZs5SeuNPtN454O4/s320/IMG00030-20101014-0902.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Humans are incredibly adaptable to any changes life brings us and I could probably adapt as well, if I had to, but I would never choose this life. My children are my stories, I am dedicated to them and they fill me completely when they go out into the world and interact with others. Being an uncle is a comfortable niche, the best of both worlds, you get to hang with them part time then return to sender while retaining title of the "cool uncle". The potential for fun is endless.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXr1pug7prsaQBm2BwqubEKAYtIbdDV27qMxdVWz-gF9RTPi3Kvd2pKGjOWy0-3h7MdswFUV_kz7UUYcbpX0tmuMMd0ZppcY9J9fGyXnrI6wXSau_Gwl7IJabL4fYlPSDtkWDJLG-jGBE/s1600/ali.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532206619843394274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXr1pug7prsaQBm2BwqubEKAYtIbdDV27qMxdVWz-gF9RTPi3Kvd2pKGjOWy0-3h7MdswFUV_kz7UUYcbpX0tmuMMd0ZppcY9J9fGyXnrI6wXSau_Gwl7IJabL4fYlPSDtkWDJLG-jGBE/s320/ali.jpg" /></a><br /><br />So many moments collected in my seven days in idyllic and oh-so civilized Dedham, Boston; the delirious, early morning impromptu dances forcing me to laugh when I could barely move my arms enough to sip my coffee, the sharing of senseless dreams from the night before, hand-fart sound competitions, swapping ghost stories and playlist jam sessions on our respective Iphones while frantically rushing them to school, innumerable cranky meltdowns and hugs, grocery trips, picking one of the girls up from school late making her miss another appointment and shortly after buying her a tank top to make up for it, not knowing the drop off or pickup "system" of each school, helping with that blasted homework, watching epidodes of The Event on Hulu before putting them to bed, running to drop the oldest to his way-too-frequent haircut, watching the older siblings coddle and play with their newest 2 year old brother assuring the newest generation of this planet will grow up happy, healthy and free of trauma.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTqIUKbmMU1KB5pZsoXpM5Ue3rNRySHreA_-9sa94M1xYevWPT_myMFHylViiTK_GXcep4B-8h1Ev9Sgs3ZCq9z879XpUaprBvfztzwyou4i_7s87QX9dzDUd57w6-QQ-Xs13K1jbc1Sv/s1600/IMG_0450.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532215970632506594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTqIUKbmMU1KB5pZsoXpM5Ue3rNRySHreA_-9sa94M1xYevWPT_myMFHylViiTK_GXcep4B-8h1Ev9Sgs3ZCq9z879XpUaprBvfztzwyou4i_7s87QX9dzDUd57w6-QQ-Xs13K1jbc1Sv/s320/IMG_0450.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Passing apple farms on my way back from dropping the kids off at school, I realize like farms, families are somewhat invisible sources of life for a society. The "non-farmers" of the world don't realize what it takes to nurture this produce to maturity for the rest of the world to enjoy unless they become a farmer or breeder. The family is the epicenter of humanity from where every thing else comes. If we were all raised surrounded by this much love and support tempered with discipline and a good education, we would probably see a lot less violence or lack as much as we do. We would care for each other as if we were one big human family-the way we should always have but have yet to "get". The love and hate for the rest of the world is born at home. We have seen the effects of that hate recently in this country with the epidemic proportions that gay suicides have risen to. We will eventually get it, and not breed hate at home. As long as we keep refining and perfecting the raising of our children, this healthy produce will be harvested for generations thereafter in the form of a healthier society.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZ3X0ydx49USPSSWzawy8wOXMfYR6zivcUa7L1qW9zSWgJzMs85PR9rdUfBDnU6vBzhxTRTzllO0ConJuQagVLgCSNpT5jHhU1FxzGcSfQHd4Z9mLNdqjNrx4CB8S7iKWRDuMno5F_ONj/s1600/DSCN2429.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532200096984124450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZ3X0ydx49USPSSWzawy8wOXMfYR6zivcUa7L1qW9zSWgJzMs85PR9rdUfBDnU6vBzhxTRTzllO0ConJuQagVLgCSNpT5jHhU1FxzGcSfQHd4Z9mLNdqjNrx4CB8S7iKWRDuMno5F_ONj/s320/DSCN2429.JPG" /></a><br /><br />As I dropped the kids off one last time before my sister and brother in law returned from their trip, I stopped the car to notice a street full of fall leaves, trash and recycle bins all perfectly lined up. We don't get this "cold, fall leaves thing" in Miami much. The safety and calm of the moment overwhelmed me. The suburbs were no longer confining or held dread for me. I felt a sudden sweet tide of melancholy rush over and outside the fall was turning into winter. Inside my heated car I too found myself changing. I wondered what the heck I was getting all teary eyed like a chick on the rag, about? I soon realized that I missed "this", a life I had once known. A familial closeness that felt like a bunch of bears nuzzled in a cave ready to hibernate. For this week, this was my clan of the cave bear and the tragedy of becoming a "manny", ironically wasn't a tragedy at all. The warmth of living inside this temporary cocoon allowed me to experience a life full of love and after all the griping and moaning, left me finally really knowing what it meant when all my married and mothered-up girlfriends always chanted, "It's a lot of work but it's so rewarding..." I used to think they were just saying that to psych themselves out from a life they had lost but there is something there, a "fullness" I hadn't felt in a very long time. This may not be my path or destiny but it was a rewarding and enriching experiment. Shapeshifting into a manny was as tough as bootcamp on a summer Miami day yet, if asked again I would gladly oblige. The bonding experience and laughter shared lifted my spirit more than any movie or book I've ever read. This autumnal moment was life in it's purest form, no illusions, no lies and it fed me so much more than it cost me in energy or loss of sleep.Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-23994783837260048862010-08-13T04:30:00.000-04:002011-09-26T13:07:28.531-04:00Addicted to Filling the Gap<object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9EoHYbNfE9o?fs=1&hl=en_US&border=1">
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If <a href="http://emptysuit.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/dr-laura-schlesingers-nigger-rant-transcript/">Dr. Laura</a> was black and ranted on about the "big N" word it would've been acceptable but since she wasn't, her rant wasn't either. Well here goes my rant and remember I am one of you and being within my rank, I can criticize from within.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516295868675268610" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TI3R3bBYIAI/AAAAAAAAAgc/-1e09_yOsjo/s320/dr-laura-n-word.jpg" style="cursor: hand; height: 320px; width: 247px;" /><br />
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I refuse to become so addicted to Grindr that I can't have a meaningful conversation with a friend without looking at my phone every 5 minutes to see who's sending me a nude pic of themselves. I refuse to fall into the gap of online hookups in order to fill this gap within me. I refuse to feel like i'm a freak because I don't succumb to the status quo of my community. I refuse to create an alter porn-ego of myself and post pictures of my throbbing, hard penis to thousands of unknowns just to bait them in to love me. I refuse to feel like i'm not good enough because I don't get laid 2-3 times per week with 2-3 different strangers per week. I am not l<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGmSREFfsI5RZBSPe23bv-KSKHgR87rCE2bc0DjYQBd3aOZr3UU60tUERJw881sh1OKT_pZywxyg_bqXvlROU8srIAzK0IO4ywGSFSVdWwZqJxLmcyGfOOprbr_-G9kxfAs3p4yNTi-Fn/s1600/PICT0001_5+-+Copy.JPG"></a>ess-cool or attractive for it. I am more than just a slab of grade A man-meat and I want more than just man-meat. I want a real and whole man that isn't looking to find what's the next better catch every night on the online hook-up slot machine. Are we so jaded that what I am saying is so off the charts? Yet, if I dare say these things out loud to my friends or strangers, they would roll their eyes and look at me pitifully as if I was an idealistic Charlotte from Sex and the City. Are we so hungry for intimacy that we are willing to deny we have any feelings at all just to get it? Like a meth addict that loses his teeth to keep getting "fixed", have we given up a part of ourselves just to get our "fix"? We all need love, everyone knew this even before the Beatles sang about it. So why is it in the gay community we act like we don't really need it and that's it's enough to just "hook up"? Are we just taking the bare minimum because we don't feel we can get any more? Have we lost faith that there is anyone more out there? Is being pretty or hot all there is? Have we reduced ourselves to body measurements as if we were ancient Roman slave traders?<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWH3PJYD6OFhDmyLR47H9iCYRvxKo5Ls5Tye4Z2hleq9-xJ7TesbUCKbeQrn2NpBGx-vLpO9lOmJrdV_Vuhb27ycKJFrAd77Em4mvMJa7kbXc1qXFCnOlPpXmw88l7ynEnDBXl05GB9YNi/s1600/Miami+Ink+040.jpg"></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAq9nEl9ljDLuw70ixIowcvnhE5P1eI2bCNgpidjUcTVurtbO11ICaPQypylQf059zpmrT3JeGFIloX0w4wnlnFicVfPZOPH9PJoHzQC-wyQBjRd_BdQMNrcds_O0nmaWTheylXFPMGLYj/s1600/slave+trader.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516298913234390978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAq9nEl9ljDLuw70ixIowcvnhE5P1eI2bCNgpidjUcTVurtbO11ICaPQypylQf059zpmrT3JeGFIloX0w4wnlnFicVfPZOPH9PJoHzQC-wyQBjRd_BdQMNrcds_O0nmaWTheylXFPMGLYj/s320/slave+trader.jpg" style="cursor: hand; height: 320px; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
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I post a pic of my latest tattoo on my facebook page and a girlfriend quickly comments on my Wall -"you're addicted!" I pause and soon realize it rings true. I am a little addicted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBQjyO_9J2bWIil0pb3-3qojSmNjH52F9THdKKrRfjV-MSFEfrt6MeRdZJxuJnnw1algljdQdiLfSfz6-IgW9ngU5JmWvP7rGEc1jv-7CosABuN1oVUDXiHoulIroJbDIAfneDiVb3JlI/s1600/if.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516302034318301266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBQjyO_9J2bWIil0pb3-3qojSmNjH52F9THdKKrRfjV-MSFEfrt6MeRdZJxuJnnw1algljdQdiLfSfz6-IgW9ngU5JmWvP7rGEc1jv-7CosABuN1oVUDXiHoulIroJbDIAfneDiVb3JlI/s320/if.jpg" style="cursor: hand; height: 224px; width: 274px;" /></a><br />
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I started out with one tattoo to mark the moment my first book was published. Then a 2nd when I turned 35. Then a 3rd humongous ancient Tibetan symbol in the center of my back to commemorate the peace Buddhism has brought to my life. Finally my 4th tat on my writing hand to constantly remind myself to be true to myself and to never whimp out on any opportunities life throws my way. Each and every time I would get addicted to the fear of the pain beforehand, the pain of the needle piercing my skin and then the sweet pain of my skin's cells responding to that pain and feeling my body heal. I would savor how that stinging pain would send goosebumps up my spine like a masochistic pleasure that shakes your insides so that you feel the sliver of space between your body and spirit. Each and every time I would feel satisfied after doing it because each one meant something, earning me an emotional badge by surviving my self-inflicted trial by fire.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MsLz-EtgG3_AnhJ3RNQe5gJeWaOe5j8TRpj0-zfF9E3SBolUROH-2oxjgmJaxIfDw4KbsAQx7GUGYTAGdMZIR6LcfAyPjmixeDMyFFm7xSbnr1_SIjGaDYobRZEjjFf-ghG5uWWyxFom/s1600/SI854798.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516288718863609954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MsLz-EtgG3_AnhJ3RNQe5gJeWaOe5j8TRpj0-zfF9E3SBolUROH-2oxjgmJaxIfDw4KbsAQx7GUGYTAGdMZIR6LcfAyPjmixeDMyFFm7xSbnr1_SIjGaDYobRZEjjFf-ghG5uWWyxFom/s320/SI854798.JPG" style="cursor: hand; height: 240px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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Like Journey sings in Don't Stop Believing- "working hard to get my fill-everybody wants a thrill". Addictions come in endless shapes, sizes and flavors. They can be booty calls, midnight snickers, shopping, sport cars or funnel cakes-it doesn't matter. What matters is that there's an itch that needs a' scratchin'. A need that calls to be satisfied-a "gap" that needs a' fillin'. This "filling the gap" may sound pornographic and to some it is -literally. Ask any porn star what they love the most about their trade. They'll confess it's the constant flow of good sex with hot partners and they can never seem to get enough of it. The "gap" I'm talking about is one inside each and every one of us. The key is to find out what the hell it really is and eventually find that Snickers moment and finally feel sat-is-fied. We all have a desire to escape the misery of needing something. Buddhism teaches detachment is the only way to avoid suffering but we are human and we will always need a million things. The trick is to force yourself to stop needing ANY-thing and have the faith that whatever we do need will come to us naturally. When we finally do get there we realize that the one "thing" we need isn't a thing at all but a feeling.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TI3bTraH-0I/AAAAAAAAAg0/4oCX6vPNKbI/s1600/snickers-bar.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516306249715022658" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TI3bTraH-0I/AAAAAAAAAg0/4oCX6vPNKbI/s320/snickers-bar.jpg" style="cursor: hand; height: 240px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
Like Chinese food or a one night stand; these addictions leave you hungry for more moments later. They are brief respites; never enough to fill the gap inside long enough to last a lifetime. They are momentary stop-gap measures that like the temporary gulf oil cap, will eventually start to leak out all the dark pus we carry inside until we find the honest guts and self-realization to go in there and really clean house to find the true reasons behind each addiction or lack of self-love. The reasons are inside each and every one of us, secreted away so deeply that sometimes they are taken to the grave and never shared with even the closest of loved ones.<br />
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With so many opportunities for addiction, anyone can agree that moderation is the golden rule of life that we should all strive for, the foundation for happiness. For if we tip the scales to any one side, we eventually fall like the fatter end of a see saw. Just as the pendulum that swings too far to the left or the right, when it finally swings back to the middle, all is in equilibrium and all is at peace and the ying-yang tug of war of life is quelled for the moment. It is this coolness, this alive feeling that I yearn for. The hardest part is to find the least damaging way to fulfill it.<br />
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What are you addicted to? Where will you find your god; on Grindr, in the Mac store, in his abs, or within yourself?Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-5920130809154106792010-08-12T15:48:00.007-04:002010-10-09T02:12:02.672-04:00It's A Mad World - Maddening Us Gays<div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSKWcdCSMI/AAAAAAAAAeE/FG1lbbafYMw/s1600/VA+Jon01.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 213px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504676762753321154" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSKWcdCSMI/AAAAAAAAAeE/FG1lbbafYMw/s320/VA+Jon01.JPG" /></a><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UMHTjkCJews?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UMHTjkCJews?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSKVzn3DEI/AAAAAAAAAd8/oOITrfFYNDE/s1600/UK+Lewis02.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 213px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504676751792868418" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSKVzn3DEI/AAAAAAAAAd8/oOITrfFYNDE/s320/UK+Lewis02.JPG" /></a></p>Reading through the paper, passing the countless updates on legal battles going on presently in this country regarding gay rights; "<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2010/07/08/lingle-marriage/">Lingle compares gay marriage to incest</a>", "<a href="http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=5998&MediaType=1&Category=26">Gay groups sue governor Lingle of hawaii to overturn her veto to gay marriage ammendment</a>", "Washington <a href="http://www.opposingviews.com/i/washington-d-c-upholds-same-sex-marriage">DC court upholds gay marriage bill, preventing a majority to ever vote to strip a minority's rights in that state</a>", "<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/08/gay-marriage-foes-vow-to-appeal-prop-8-ruling.html">Proposition 8 Overturned! Opponents Vow to take Appeal To US Supreme Court</a>", <a href="http://www.bilerico.com/2010/09/mt_tea_party_advocates_hanging_fruits.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29">"Montana Tea Party Advocates Hanging of "Fruits"" </a>etc, etc. I get a little down and Google, "cheer me up" and find an article that rates the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-02-15-cities_N.htm#table">10 happiest cities</a> to live in the United States. My mind begins to wander and think happy thoughts...What if we (us gays) could build our own utopian island on par with the man made islands off the coast of Dubai- a modern day mythical Atlantis reborn by and designed by legions of the top minds from our LGBT communities across America. Our ardent opponents fantasy's of shipping us all off to an island would finally be realized. Sure, we already have our gay sanctuary-cities like LA, New York and Miami but like Sergio Arau's "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0377744/">A Day Without a Mexican</a>", America would finally see what a day or several years without a gay is like and what will happen to our society with the complete removal of it's "gays". I know it would totally suck but just stick with me here.<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSJq0wxAPI/AAAAAAAAAd0/vgxBSValib0/s1600/BC+Justin02.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504676013364281586" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSJq0wxAPI/AAAAAAAAAd0/vgxBSValib0/s320/BC+Justin02.jpg" /></a></div>We are no different from the Kurds in Iraq or Muslims in Bosnia-just another minority that would better off be eliminated or altogether made to disappear so that the majority won't have to tolerate or understand us. The idea of a gay Atlantis-utopia would call them on their bluff and while others would call it cowardly, I muse it would be a passive-aggressive, checkmate move. It wouldn't take long for the same factions that opposed us to create a new demonized segment of society and create a new holy war against divorces, illegal immigrants, tangas or mini-skirts. Like removing the US embargo off of Cuba, robbing Fidel of his excuse for his country's miseries. These Ameri-bans would finally be exposed for the fear-mongering fanatics that they are and the masses would finally "get it"-then maybe then we could return from our safe-haven-utopia and finally be left alone to live our lives without having to fight every damn day to defend ourselves and gain equal rights.<br /><p align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSJgl6SAKI/AAAAAAAAAds/cTsGULcl4_Y/s1600/CA+Tommy06.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504675837578969250" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSJgl6SAKI/AAAAAAAAAds/cTsGULcl4_Y/s320/CA+Tommy06.JPG" /></a></p>Staring at this map of happiness I remember my first day of school where I kicked, screamed and scratched to not go into that classroom. A place where no one knew me and where I felt I was too different-not because I was gay-I didn't have an inkling of that yet but because I was a strange young boy that never spoke- Too focused on figuring out this strange world to speak or relate to anyone...So many questions I obsessed about; Why money had value? Why did my parents run around, working so much and not spend more time with my siblings and I? Why there were killings, rapes and wars? Why were kids at school so competitive and mean to each other? Why did I feel like a lepper?<br /><br />High school gifted me with an angelic being and my first gal-pal of many that would provide solace and sanctuary for me. It was only fitting that she looked like a younger version of my tender, loving idol; Marilyn Monroe. We were brief lovers and in her arms I found a shoulder to drown my sorrows and finally confess my "gayness". She soon after, released me to take the gay, road-less-traveled. 23 years later, the world is still cruel and cold but a little more tolerant and our people are no longer the free, gay and happy people that created the epitome of good times from the 70's and 80's. Our world renowned wit, dampened and drowned out by our cries for equality, finally getting fed up enough to quit partying and start demanding respect.<br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyadCRg3SlvbrPgsP9xqf3P0kjspY1vF-I04E_kJBCDE4aDYfcc0FE7gpSWCUJBa5FWf-gTUBnYDBddWXDtY5B_50GncpXRRnGyy3pf24xF_VDF98sgcAi8gaNbg8Kp_YsBMtiOXrPkP_U/s1600/NY+Aaron15.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507955383840732306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyadCRg3SlvbrPgsP9xqf3P0kjspY1vF-I04E_kJBCDE4aDYfcc0FE7gpSWCUJBa5FWf-gTUBnYDBddWXDtY5B_50GncpXRRnGyy3pf24xF_VDF98sgcAi8gaNbg8Kp_YsBMtiOXrPkP_U/s320/NY+Aaron15.JPG" /></a></p>We are in wartime, no time for being light and caddy, we are a weary, beleaguered masses yearning to breathe free. A shadow has been cast by our tireless political opponents obsessed with lying about our love, cheating and manipulating laws to have their religious war won, eroding the fabric of America's Constitution along the way. The shadow is cast over almost every gay community worldwide by a religious cloak from almost every religion hiding the hatred and homophobia behind their regurgitated and selectively manipulated doctrine. We, as a people have lost a part of ourselves along the way, lost in our own rainbow. Our cause is just and as important as the recession everyone is stuck wallowing in. This battle affects millions of lives of good and Gay American citizens. We are a large portion of society fighting and counting the days until we can feel free, light and good again- to finally feel fully equal and accepted. It's a mad world- maddening to one of the last portions of society to be included in one of humanity's final exams, truly testing the tolerance of it's inherent differences. Our rights were supposed to have already been afforded to us by the Constitution with a clear separation of church and state. We shouldn't have to fight this battle but nonetheless, here we are mired in it. Although it took us a while to get pissed off enough to get organized, we are now witnessing one of the biggest battles of our times, where hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on either side of the political battlefield.<br /><br /><br />I imagine a day when we are finally done with this mess and all those millions can be redirected towards helping to change the really damning problems of our world like lack of water, overpopulation, incurable diseases, etc. I imagine a time where I could reunite with my brothers and sisters on a dance floor, where the music is uplifting and good again. Where I don't leave feeling depressed from a gay club, sensing the sadness oozing off these reality escapees of a harsh world -dancing to forget. I await on a metaphorical cliff looking out to a new horizon where this civil rights war is behind us and we can finally regain our joyful outlook and wit that we were so famous for. I can't wait for my younger gay brethren to feel as loved and accepted as they were on their birthday as every child should feel. For LGBT suicides, gay bashings and death penalties for gays to be relegated to the dark pages of our history books for good....to serve as a reminder that this time that mentality should never be repeated. I await and dream of the day we win this battle for equality and justice. To be able to sing happy birthday to "us" and this mad world will become a bit more of a glad one.<br /><br /><p><strong>"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!" — Jack Kerouac (On the Road)<br /></strong></p><strong></strong><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSKWjrtvWI/AAAAAAAAAeM/7Q8eTlibvEU/s1600/WI+TJ%26Tom06.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504676764693937506" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSKWjrtvWI/AAAAAAAAAeM/7Q8eTlibvEU/s320/WI+TJ%26Tom06.JPG" /></a></p><br />One day we will be able to look in the mirror and feel beautifully whole and comfortable in our own skins with a contented smile instead of expressionless, poker faces and smiling will be cool again. I pray that after we do that the hatred doesn't shift to illegal immigrants in this country as it already seems to be happening.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSMPX5d4UI/AAAAAAAAAeU/Tg989yH66_s/s1600/FL+Tyler.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504678840294564162" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oLVNqGUSrRo/TGSMPX5d4UI/AAAAAAAAAeU/Tg989yH66_s/s320/FL+Tyler.JPG" /></a></p>This whole gay thing isnt about gay or straight -it's about loving each other-for real this time- no matter what- to end this hatred amongst ourselves and knock the cycle of hatred, division and intolerance out of this Earth grid for good. Or at least until a new challenge like acceptance of beings from other planets comes inevitably along our evolutionary path. That moment of contact will never happen until we can get over our differences here at home. Would you want to visit such unfriendly territory if you were light years ahead of Earth?<br /><br /><b>"There is a template of pain and suffering on this planet that the earth is tired of and we need to move through it to progress. Love light and happiness begins with you.</b> " Guru Ganesha<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/l_2AgaZJWro?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/l_2AgaZJWro?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Gay director John Waters muses on the current state of the gay community. Click <a href="http://www.advocate.com/Video/OnAir/Episode_3/I_Advocate_John_Waters/">here</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/08/17/Russian_Billionaire_Kill_Gays_and_Lesbians/">Russian billionaire calls for the extermination of all gays and lesbians on Moscow public radio</a>.<br /><br />*Photos above by Jeff Kilmer from his recent book <a href="http://www.jeffreykilmer.com/">"23%".</a>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-29114500779921007092010-07-02T05:00:00.006-04:002010-09-15T02:14:42.673-04:00Kundalini What? Kripalu Where? Yoga How?<p><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SyGkxdzyTH8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SyGkxdzyTH8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMHLmiGX3biUNjH7plX-mqZcAKAZqMQzCnkyjtrlJjeweNfUmNx0q8JNauTRkJVWDtigR8vrkq8OsjDiKdYNI836RDQ_L9cHUn5-_bwulrcZZZY0HY7ZvL44OvwAXhYJ2zZTu7bhSumT7/s1600/DSCN0626.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481217900461182466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMHLmiGX3biUNjH7plX-mqZcAKAZqMQzCnkyjtrlJjeweNfUmNx0q8JNauTRkJVWDtigR8vrkq8OsjDiKdYNI836RDQ_L9cHUn5-_bwulrcZZZY0HY7ZvL44OvwAXhYJ2zZTu7bhSumT7/s320/DSCN0626.JPG" /></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2RmxnZYvtwVOAnVMZEiFR_kZiz7llA856ORXrOd_rSvUh9z3qSP3BQUEMVeETncBk3tFFQP8qjEEzDVlctZVCGVSkhyyo7DL9UoFZ6Hqk5XYn33U1sOd9T6s8xJnivMCXHRfpsl-bUmi/s320/DSCN0624.JPG" /><br /><br />I want my enlightenment damnit!- I yell from the back seat, anxious to get to our weekend retreat with my overworked sister and overachieving family friend to force ourselves to find some solace and moments of quiet bliss.<br /><br />Arriving at <a href="http://www.kripalu.org/index.php?gclid=COKlhoGNzKICFdID5QodSkJczA">Kripalu</a>, you find yourself in a magical setting amidst a countryside that looks a lot like a Harry Potter movie set complete with lush, green mountains, castle-like mansions from America's golden industrial age and no visible cities within miles. Down the street from Kripalu is it's sterilized, heartless competition; Canyon Ranch. Kripalu doesn't even attempt tocompetewith luxe, Canyon Ranch, they are two completely separate entities attracting completelydifferent crowds. As you pass through the mist-bathed entrance gate at Kripalu, you get the feeling you are entering into another dimension, it's location, far removed from Boston's city energy, making it the perfect setting to get one's "mojo" back and recharge. I breathe in and notice the air tastes as pure as freshly fallen snow. Let's get en-light-ened girls! As we bust open the doors to the main lobby to register we see groups of young and graceful Yogaholics wielding yoga mats instead of Blackberries or Iphones (cellphone use is "requested"to be used away from common areas like smoking) and sporting flip flops, sweats and tanks instead of Jedi Light sabers and Obi-Wan robes.<br /><br />These guiding lights to the rest of humanity that opt to medicate not with pharmaceuticals and antidepressants but instead with a healthy obsession for the ancient practice of Yoga. </p><p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-abe40EFhyyBKvIzeGahgnq0l02nZNpLb3DRlOWO7Ll63MiHTS3-w6m5iJBEZfNAljnO-b8kAKHcWWXQ0pmnwWIVpHhJO_nfu62q4cb-CtLkv0cLylPOR5kU6DaEcZffh_XPNn0_XBku/s320/DSCN0568.JPG" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1zctsGWuitFVLqanlQ1n-GYvVXGQ_HzLiYJ3E84JI1Q3qcFdTsUR97GVkAWmio4GqIxMpUMKUWfpL_s24iQMGkTjYylavI-Di7L0omdqQVcltJ6nHrm3OnTnPF2f2QBJBbkiLjWElQLY/s320/DSCN0567.JPG" /><br />Like Jedi knights gathering to sharpen their skills against the dark forces of this world, these yogic warriors of light are ready to deal with life's challenges as long as they have space to lay down their mats and time to practice and meditate. I was quickly disappointed by the lack of representation of gay men among these Yogaholic minions. I asked myself, "where are my gays?". There were plenty of lesbians representin' but about 2 gay guys (including myself) in attendance on this weekend retreat. Yoga seems to attract those that are in the process of leaving their ego's behind or at least trying to. It's a practice that causes the false ego or "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id,_ego,_and_super-ego">id</a>" to be left behind as you reconnect with your true inner self.</p><p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVt6T60w5fZqyeU_bByEZ9JAzYyJYUJaklTqDp2nrps7S1XyQv2i4ntUdZ6aOD0IkhXyE4pUkQmzySct7nohbzVr5mI50YwjkP7dKWTaHNHtqTFjCWzJGYIzOu0u-NQbICk5pkI09R5tlf/s320/betty+pose.jpg" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixn8pDggwfinZrwAuUkbIml6re4KHhAg5Qyjj6a75zhforR1bqwZQ1Ik7t2UF2YPMucyyJTLarDc0lOQTiK8xSwVfQ81P_eZgc6O-cD2g1D9OhGuSu8gEqCd0yQVo1z359STr1gEJY3EWf/s320/DSCN0571.JPG" /> </p>Have we been too busy "chasing papi" or proving our value to the rest of the world in showing off our fashion sense, intellectual prowess, cultural contributions, etc. that we forgot to work on our "insides"? I dare say that gay men in this country are fundamentally lacking in the area of spiritual growth and are generations behind the heteros. I dont blame them, for every organized religion on the planet (except for Buddhism) has not only rejected but spewed hatred against us, spawning generations of minions to attack, arrest, bully and flat out prevent us from gaining acceptance, every step of the way. Problem is, spirituality is such a sore subject for us gays that we forgot to replace religion with a good old simple connection to the divine or the "Big Queen"upstairs. We used to be the shaman-the spiritual leaders of our tribes. That all changed after organized religions took over. Guru Ganesha from Miami explains that Kundalini as well as Kabbalistic knowledge comes from a time "pre-religion", a time on this planet before any of our world religions were herding us into our nationalistic corrals. It was passed down even before Yoga was created, from high priests of Egypt and even as far back as Atlantis. Whether you believe in it's mysterious origins or not, it's power to awaken and release energy in you is undeniably felt after even the first session. I once took my 14 year old nephew to his first Kundalini Yoga session and he was left dumbfounded and confessed that he felt as if he had left his body at the end of the class. A pretty impressive thumbs-up coming from a hormonal teen, addicted to YouTube, chatting and World of Warcraft. Kundalini comes with a psychological warning label, called "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kundalini_syndrome">kundalini syndrome</a>" where if you are a person that has either repressed psychological trauma or some level of mental illness it will quickly be released and cause problems if not properly led by an experienced teacher. Kundalini is basically the fastest way to awaken our internal fire and universal power. It was never meant to be revealed to the masses until one real maverick-y Guru; <a href="http://www.indianetzone.com/6/history_kundalini_yoga.htm">Yogi Bhajan</a> decided to channel his inner Madonna, break all the rules and share it with the masses beginning in 1969. It was a sacred knowledge reserved for the spiritual elite, warriors and leaders.<br /><div><br />I came to this oasis on mother Earth to recharge and release all the icky negative vibes of being yet another victim of corporate downsizing after 14 years of uber dedicated corporate soldier-ness. I came to regain my own natural and vibrant "flow". This weekend was being hosted by one of the sweetest voices I've ever heard this side of Mars, my personal idol, <a href="http://www.spiritvoyage.com/yoga/The-Essential-Snatam-Kaur/Snatam-Kaur/CDS-004151.aspx">Snatam Kaur</a>. I've heard her music played many times at the <a href="http://www.standardhotels.com/miami/spa-wellbeing/yoga/">Standard</a> on my regular Kundalini Yoga friday nights, one of the best ways to end the week in Miami.</div><div><br /></div><div>My songstress finally arrives to the meditation room and my heart skips a beat. I quickly realized I was in the presence of an enlightened and pure being with no agenda except for sharing her exquisite light. This petite human Yoda is the most unassuming woman and mother with a voice so sweet that it literally changes the vibration of your cells and frees your heart, if you let it.</div><div> </div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjpjnUgrhnLytcTZIhrTqaAA5xf92a4XAGlsFrn1_7Yj1U2oXnTLLZNZf4y497NfDV26xRilcNXOU5J9ktJIzLHuCkANOHdUtU3K2zJ5h6Tf_l39yMsjl5In6pWLXSyj8o9827HIWd3cL/s320/DSCN0606.JPG" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDF3SIigGSoODJFB2RGJktjknEo1BcNAemtPQaxZnhh6Ti9Nn-OllT0hu5KoBb0AVMa4VUCADwDN2wZygF097DiMRuX9zP4ZkMK7GMOJ8N5o7VPehOEBfvKHtoOf-bu7FNxKbQPwSWV-4M/s320/DSCN0589.JPG" /></div><div> </div><div>Snatam Kaur and her band of spiritual gangsters (Guru Ganesh on guitar and Ramesh on drums) lead us to perform several simple Kundalini "asanas" or exercises to open us up emotionally, spiritually and physically. I came to reboot my health and got more than I bargained for, I felt as if my insides were being restructured on a cellular level giving me a whole new sense of calm. I realized that I needed to befriend my soul again and that I was being untrue to myself for too long-selling myself out just for the peace and security of a steady paycheck, 401K, dental, health and life insurance. I am now learning to fly and thrive without all those perks and forge my own new path....no longer a rat in a gilded cage.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZl6wsoQ9du4Y__tzeDFTc-Ax1pVwPYhtZ16UnyXFJL-_lFVNdAWrGQtLtfYw8JYyRX4l-UZI1yyn2zB1m5x5EKwGG7T-Np7bIQ8KStOWR7rZEssHJiOvpfzUOVTcQzhvKuxbp3Q0e665/s320/DSCN0586.JPG" /></div><div><br />Snatam soon taught us that chanting is just as important as Yoga in that it rises the "prana" or life force in our bodies. The chanting combined with the repetitive movements and breathwork of Kundalini eventually caused reality to melt away and my vision to become filled with hundreds of golden bees in a hive rubbing our wings to the same beat...I became a bee in this hive nestled in the Berkshire mountains west of Boston and our Queen Bee was Snatam Kaur. </div><div><br /></div><div>She was a queen without claiming to be, she was really just a cool chick that just happened to have a mission in life to enlighten and help others ascend while in physical form. She played the violin, harmonium and used her sweet voice to unify and raise our vibrations to a liberating pitch.</div><div><br /></div><div>The last night at the concert there was a free flow, jam with people singing, moving and not giving a damn if they looked cool or not. It was simply a room full of people separated from their ego's and free flowing with the music. Even Harvard chaplain <a href="http://www.lamamigmar.com/">Lama Myngmar</a> got into the fray and said "Buddhists should do this more often." as he joyfully let himself go and threw out some new quirky dance moves. I called the event, the "Kundalini hoe-down".<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The last day we all sang her most popular song together and she sent us along with her blessing...."<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOwPgPOQth0&feature=related">May the long time sun shine upon you all surround you and the pure light within you guide your way home.</a>"</div><div><br />Fast forward, weeks later to the frenetic modern day city of Miami and I am sitting with electrical sensors glued to my head for a <a href="http://www.bbisf.com/">brain training</a> session using biofeedback to improve my cognitive ability and help with my constant migraines stemming from my a previous auto accident that caused a concussion.</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nXXWCUyeWAR04ZaxMEtYRfNJXUSRIbxvmQnAjp-Rz6SyYEQNAa-c6ADzqkzfQALo9Vd90JeDXDShzrWpoccJSNmgEIOkz-KHQZN7sAbhq6IZ6ScPL508YDrzVTyES3zh-_Kfasz120EB/s320/brain+training.jpg" /> </div><div>I quickly have another "a-ha" moment on my first session and realize that the sounds they are force feeding my brain through the headphones are eerily reminiscent to the chant patterns and sounds from my weekend at Kripalu. Could science finally have caught up to what the yogis have known for thousands of years and created a fast track to enlightenment or higher thinking? I asked the technician and he laughs and says "funny you say that.". It turns out the scientist that developed the technology went to India to monasteries to test the brains of monks to use as a baseline of a well balanced brain to train others to attain that level of brain proficiency. <a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/health/2601">Science has actually recently and finally proven</a> that the brains of people that do meditate frequently have less thinning of brain tissue related to cognitive thinking and have more active areas that are related to concentration. Another study even proved that long term meditation can actually heal areas of the brain affected by traumas.</div><div><br /></div><div><strong>"You follow desire, and you are not satisfied. Again you follow desire, and again you are not satisfied. Again you try, and again you are not satisfied."-- Lama Zopa Rinpoche,<br />"Transforming Problems Into Happiness"</strong></div><div><br />You can have sex with the most beautiful men or women on the planet and collect so many notches on your bedpost that you'll need a new bed. Still, like chinese food, you'll soon feel unsatisfied and empty inside. You can travel thousands of miles and spend thousands of dollars to learn from Buddhist monks nestled in their mountain hideaways to find out that all what they know is for you to find your answers and your highest truth-all you have to do is quiet your mind and listen-its all there inside each and every one of us if we can only shut out the millions of thoughts and needs and concerns and just sit and "be" for a moment, all the answers we need will come to us. Some of us have forests of "weeds" to clear through but eventually you do get there and once you do you can only do one thing-be true to yourself and finally befriend yourself and true to your life's purpose. </div><div><br /></div><div>Like Guru Ganesh joked at Kripalu; there are 51 flavors and paths to spiritual awakening. For me, the path has been a combo platter of yoga, chanting, massage therapy, good health, avoiding drugs or negative people, brain training with a healthy dose of optimism drizzled over the top. For you, it might be planting violets or raising Emu's -whichever flavor you choose the goal is the same; to feel really satisfied with a deliciously flavored life and finally feel fulfilled. I don't claim to be an expert but I am a product of this generation's quest to improve ourselves and eradicate the mistakes of generations past. I have vowed to not die young or suffer from 8 strokes or diabetes like my father before me-I choose to make him proud by pushing further than he ever got the chance to.<br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>The benefits of yoga aren't just about getting rock-hard Madonna arms or relieving stress-its a practice that takes a lifetime to perfect and refines your body and life force as you go along-its a hell of a lot better than a hangover from a night of partying and sometimes can be better than sex-okay, well almost as good as sex.</div><div><br /></div><div><strong>"Liberate your joy and enjoy the bliss, be true to yourself and befriend your soul.<br />Growth stops, evolution stops when you stop trying to improve your heart." The Dalai Lama</strong></div><div></div>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-44882581256171655582010-06-01T19:00:00.039-04:002013-04-14T00:12:18.503-04:00How Do You Mend a Gay Broken Heart<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/izzKUoxL11E?rel=0" width="420"></iframe>
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Damn, Damn, Damn it, I did it again! Check me into <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efL17ekQZ5k&feature=related">Heartbreak Hotel</a>. Another failed love, another risk, gain, then horribly tragic loss. When will I learn? Learn what though? To not love at all? I can't stop loving but I can be wiser in how I love the next time and how I maintain that love. Forgive the autobiographical rant but I am in desperate need of blog-therapy and have discovered that there are absolutely no books out there on how to heal a gay broken heart (I Google'd and Amazon'ed) and there is no pill to take away the pain of the knife wedged in my heart. All I do have is time to process what caused the collapse and in the words of a friend, "take it not day by day but hour by hour".<br />
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This love lost was the grandest, most beautiful and real love I ever had in my life, challenging me to the best version of me possible. It renewed my faith that a true and mutual love is possible in the Gay world of today with real morals and real fidelity. It even got me believing in the "M word" (marriage) for the first time. He was my rock, my confidant, my protector, my burning love, my privilege to have and to hold every night.<br />
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A guru once said the most difficult people in your life teach you the biggest lessons. In love, one can find the biggest teacher and the highest lessons we can learn in this life. If you can hack it. There are never any guarantees or insurance policies to protect you from a broken heart, no matter whom you choose to love.<br />
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I have friends that for over 15 years have been single and its not for lack of being virile, valuable or attractive. They'd rather not risk the pain (at least that's my theory). They are content in their safe, self-reliant bubbles, with no one to let you down except yourself. It takes a huge amount of trust to put your heart in the care of another. Yet, I still believe it is worth the ride and to at least have gathered some beautiful memories that to have none at all. To be content in knowing true love at all. Some never have that luxury in their entire lifetimes. Some are lucky if they can get fresh water for the day or keep their bodies nourished and under shelter. Love is indeed the most expensive, highest and rarest luxury on our blue bubble we call home.<br />
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The beautiful spell I was under for almost 2 years has been broken and turned into a beautiful lie overnight. Where's my brokeback cowboy that doesn't know how to quit me? Where is the loyalty that lasts a lifetime? I ran into an elderly couple that have been married for 60 years and they revealed the secret to their marriage was rather simple, back then people would work 13-14 hours a day and by the time the husband came home he'd be too tired to gripe or argue. Ah, ain't love grand?<br />
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Am I an outdated dinosaur? Is this kind of love a thing of the past in our throwaway and unsustainable society? Or is it something people will strive towards in our next evolutionary step? Food, energy, transportation, love that lasts; less disposability. An Obama-style overhaul is needed because if that oil spill gushing right now into the Gulf of Mexico has taught us anything is that our old ways are "messy and wasteful" to say the least. Maybe love will be more everlasting as we tire of the newer and newer versions of any given product and learn to stick with what we got and simply improve on how we use it. I may not be an Iphone but I can release improved versions of me as quickly as Apple does.<br />
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Here are some self-help steps towards healing a broken heart:<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">STEP 1- THE MIGHTY CRASH</span><br />
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Whether you catch your loved one cheating or they move out on a moment's notice to be in the arms of their new cheap replacement, is insignificant. What is important is to not do anything you will regret later or get arrested for, no matter how badly they deserve it. Like the gay man in South Beach who found his lover in bed with another and shot his lover then himself in the head, it just isn't worth going to jail for them. The sharp pain of the "crash" must be dealt with immediately and in the healthiest way possible which means to get yourself as far away from the one that hurt you as possible and stay away as best you can. Go to your mother's, your best friend's couch, wherever. Plan your strategy on how to deal with this new challenge life has brought you. The lessons from it won't come until about a month or more after the initial crash. After the first week, you instinctively lean on your tried and true loved ones and friends. Daily doses of Xanax or Prozac isn't a bad idea right about now. Let it all out, cry and cry as much as you can. Stay in bed until you can't any longer. Like singer <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vfLvZCdT9g&feature=related">Robyn</a> wails, it will hurt with every heartbeat. After about the 7th day of holding back tears and punching your shower wall you will begin to desperately yearn to move on and stop looking back. It's now time to go to the next step towards recovery. <br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">STEP #2 COPING WITH THE PAIN</span><br />
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Talk to your friends until you don't want to talk about it anymore. You'll be surprised how many people will open up and share their heartbreaks that are so horrible it'll make your's feel like a cake walk. Work past the emotional phase of blaming yourself. It isn't about you, it's about what they needed. No matter how hard you tried, you could have never filled that void. The two of you were not "meant to be" at least any longer than right now.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">STEP #3 FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOURSELF AGAIN</span><br />
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Get your "J" on and touch yourself for as long as you can. Like milk, it's good for you. Learn how to love that man in the mirror you see everyday. Hit the gym again, hardcore especially on the most depressing day of them all for single people-SUNDAY (roll your eyes annoyed like). The day of the week that everyone snuggles up in bed with their loved one to catch up on Z's and watch movies, eating like a flunky from the Biggest Loser. While the love birds go at it, you will be getting ripped, gifting you an admiration for your new found muscle tone. Fall back in love with your IPod and make a "Breakup-Forget the Butthole playlist" because these are the times that silence is anything but golden. Being home in the sudden silence is literally deafening. Being out of the house as much as possible is the best medicine right about now. Suck up that good ol' Miami sun and get nature's "happy hormones" in the form of Vitamin D. The flip side of depression is that you get to lose some of that stubborn fat. I call it the "Depression Diet" others like to call it the "Divorce Diet". Either way, make sure you at least get some protein in the form of a smoothie. Getting hospitalized will not bring the deserter back.<br />
Carefully select your new mantra-songs to uplift, forget and empower. Stay away from the tear jerkers. No Whitney, Celine or Barbara Streisand (The Way We Were). Listen to these "Eye of the Tiger" songs over and over until their lessons are fully ingrained in your psyche and like Stella you slowly regain your "groove". During this phase, you must write down and list all the things the EX didn't or couldn't do to make you happy (You know what they are). It's essential to go through this step so you can identify the right candidate the next time one comes a'knocking. The true test to see if you are beginning to get over the worm is if you can come up with more things that didnt make you happy than did. There IS a reason for this break, you just didn't want to see it as fast as they did. Your reward is that you will be well on your way to officially be over the he\she\it that hurt you in the first place. After the dust has settled, you will identify all the things you forgave that weren't making you happy and quickly realize they really did you a favor.<br />
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Relationships are stepping stones until you climb up to your highest love. There are a few rare unicorns out there that are lucky enough to find it on their first try but for the majority of us, it's a lifelong process.<br />
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<b>Suicide prevention tip #1</b></div>
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<b> Never, ever, ever think the person you are currently in love with is the only and last person you can ever be with no matter how much you love them because if for any reason they leave your life, you won't be able to live without them. There are billions of other people on this planet to fall in love with....or at least millions out of those billions...okay, at least a few hundred thousand.</b></div>
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<b>Here's my break-up playlist (feel free to steal away):</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beGjncfEPt8&a=wVonQ2iWAmo&playnext_from=ML">Love is Gone by David Guetta</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdB3Oyd5HtU&feature=fvsr">Dont trust the ho- by 3OH!3</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMCU5uf_Loc&feature=related">Alone by Maya (lyrics begin at 2:25)</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk8eJh4i8Lo&a=G5CKkW2tVbU&playnext_from=ML">Bulletproof by LaRoux</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAykeo0f8gE&feature=related">I've Got Soul by The Killers</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu1aQvm5MrU">According to You by Orianthi</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vfLvZCdT9g&feature=related">With Every Heartbeat by Robyn</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy_c_1rXkYk">Keep on rising by Ian Carey</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBgmC_USeoM">Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH-1hHdd1Sw&feature=related">If I Were a Boy (remix only) by Beyonce'</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP3yAFmaGzY">Leave, get out by Jojo</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OW5SxtiLKU&feature=related">Only When I Lose Myself by Depeche Mode</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Suicide prevention tip #2</b></div>
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<b>Do <u>not</u> under any circumstance listen to Sarah McLachlan or Enya and you are absolutely forbidden from downloading The Crying Game by Boy George.</b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">STEP 4- THE RITUAL OF LETTING GO</span><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-j6zdvCZz9btsG1PvTNd-DP95flD7Gxq0TRvOeGcnRid-WeAJsoiFTW3bQfgd774QlKnGavZS-Ztkzpcq4qGZMwTjaYmjJCMTZNkoKPNUOp1rA60qgJAmyIPiLBJ_lEYqZaEjUlpMHaD/s320/DSCN0042.JPG" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGmhLK95s3E1KTDClG4faKoNc6Z9-7QHppKtq_seRlgvh-PIJCvdMnvitoAuutxSevfZ4CNHNkWa1YNdWkk_i4MGib9S6PfFeLRz-BFIqGQMPtDUqgbzvkVkOqfYl4vsl7u83ApVbHpUV/s320/DSCN0053.JPG" /><br />
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If you are still feeling sorry for yourself and can't seem to shake the pain out of your heart and mind, a little telenovela-esque, dramatic ceremony to forget is called for. Gather all flammable items the offender has ever given you (stuffed animals, concert or movie ticket stubs, anniversary or Valentine's day cards, etc) and torch them in a bonfire inside a metallic container. Gather the ashes and take them to the nearest ocean, river or toilet if you live in the sticks. Before you dump the ashes, ritually take in as many deep breaths as the months or years you were together. Visualize all the illusions, broken promises, beautiful words and future plans you may still be carrying get washed away and released along with the ashes as they hit the water. You can keep the fond memories as long as they don't hurt to recall them.<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNct7A0q-xnJikkmyVHAURjt0wQQl4-TpukSzX-JIgiV4X2IkDlv02OxDLWyjWTYOOZftc-pJoeABS75MN4XUswI728loxGTf1wrKLO3jBJ7i9Xq8CI9Uki9BmTFTeE-fOyOuh3FhOH24/s320/DSCN0055.JPG" /><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">STEP 5- HOLISTIC RETREAT FOR SELF EMPOWERMENT</span><br />
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If you are still being haunted by your heartbreak consider getting out of dodge and attend a holistic retreat for self empowerment via the age old practices of <a href="http://www.kripalu.org/">Yoga</a>, Meditation or <a href="http://www.diamondway.org/">Buddhism</a>. For those less spiritually inclined, an island getaway for some R&R could be just the trick. Also, it couldn't hurt to <a href="http://globalcitizenyear.org/program/">volunteer</a> to help the impoverished or those less fortunate. It's a great way to put things into perspective when you see others a lot less fortunate than yourself.<br />
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<b>STEP 6- GOOD OLD SCHOOL THERAPY WITH PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION</b><br />
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If any of the above fail then it's time to schedule yourself to see a licensed therapist and some good antidepressants for a short term to finally knock it out of the park. There might be some deeper issues lingering in your psyche that a good therapist might help uncover. Be open to hypno-regression because the problem might just be stemming from a previous lifetime.<br />
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Whatever the case, you HAVE to pick up the pieces and put humpty dumpty back together again and believe that the next guy will be better because if he isn't, you'll see it coming...hopefully.<br />
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A friend sent me this quote, "When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better". Buddhism teaches you that pain is essential to finding the way to a happy life as it helps us like a mouse in a maze to find our cheese, avoiding the traps or pitfalls along the way. The love once had is gone now and it is what it was. You must trudge forth and regain your faith slowly, bit by bit, on your own. Refuse to give up on the belief that love can transform and push you to do remarkable things. A love so pure that ego isn't a player at all. As Depeche Mode sings, "It's only when I lose myself in someone else that I find myself.". Your heart will prevail. You will prevail. Instead of saying "Poor me-forget about love alltogether!" chant "<a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6519486532065558266#">Om Mani Padme Hum</a>" repeatedly until your heart's pain eventually ebbs.<br />
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<i>**These tips above can be applied to a heterosexual broken heart as well. Looks like we're not as different as we thought we were.</i>Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8224314961475453790.post-31641129028175498032010-04-25T03:20:00.000-04:002010-04-25T03:21:01.286-04:00Where Are Our Gay Super Heroes?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLOhNTrEQIlF7EWsP9DZBAdVaPIwluwEqP25_csJlgkHrSymvhvePPCskmzDEKAdAwJnirPnQg5HvNCXPznpRVN5e77iYVkNVrcooWrftRi5_jDbfdmEHcPsinpcTZe97EmLxfVEBt_UP/s1600-h/gaysuperheros1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 227px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400708896420551746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLOhNTrEQIlF7EWsP9DZBAdVaPIwluwEqP25_csJlgkHrSymvhvePPCskmzDEKAdAwJnirPnQg5HvNCXPznpRVN5e77iYVkNVrcooWrftRi5_jDbfdmEHcPsinpcTZe97EmLxfVEBt_UP/s320/gaysuperheros1.jpg" /></a>
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<br />Oprah & Gayle, Batman & Robin, even Flash Gordon & Green Lantern all look gay to me but they are all ambiguously gay or completely on the "Down Low", like SNL's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEAYcR8w_tE&feature=related">Ambiguosly Gay Duo</a>.
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<br />Across the pond, the great Brit's, always one upping us in social acceptance and progressive measures (they've had nationalized health care for years) already has a gay, semi-hero main character in their Sci Fi show, <a href="http://www.afterelton.com/TV/2007/9/torchwood">Torchwood</a>.
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<br />I guess if I was a superhero and I wanted to save the world, I'd hide my dirty little secret too but this isn't the 1950's of Superman's era, It's 2010 and it isn't a dirty little secret anymore. So where are all the gay super heroes then?
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<br />This year we got our Rosa Parks' in the form of the lesbian named <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_lesbian_prom_date">Constance McMillan</a> taking her high school to court because she believes in her right to take her girlfriend to her high school prom.
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<br />We elected our Martin Luther King in the form of <a href="http://www.thegrio.com/opinion/obama-finally-fulfills-promise-of-change-for-gay-americans.php">Obama</a>, championing our rights out loud and chipping away at the age old bigotry holding this country back.
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<br />I've heard rumors the Rock might be gay. He plays super heroes in his movies- but he isn't out....at least yet.
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<br />Oprah is a social super hero, hell she even picked the president of the United States. That's a power gay if i ever saw one but she isn't out...yet.
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<br />There's an openly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertrand_Delano%C3%AB">gay mayor</a> in France -that's pretty sweet and he's out but that's France and that whole country is gay. He might step to the plate in 2012 where he is predicted to win the next presidential election.
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<br />There is one openly gay world leader in Norway. Prime Minister, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B3hanna_Sigur%C3%B0ard%C3%B3ttir">Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir</a>. Hopefully she'll get a chance to wield her "gay super powers" and we could finally have our world's first Gay Super Hero.
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<br />So the $100 million dollar question is when will the United States have it's first "out" Gay Hero? When will we stop being so gosh-darn apathetically-polite and channel our inner Madonna and strap on some pointy bra's and open up a big old can of whoopass to win equality?
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<br />We are the ones we have been waiting for. The second coming of Christ is within each and every one of us. It isn't one guy coming down as an agent for the big he\she\it upstairs, it's the God within us that will come into being, clearing the way, lifting the fog of ages and confusion of religions. If there ever was proof of this power, were the 2008 elections where our country finally got the president we wanted, fair and square.
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<br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-m0uybUrngzRhiDoJbKGpx8TIvaJJRNOUiKERCQUtc9D4RBUriOOcqoWyl6JwW1l5kwgb0RtsMATTrYi7YFIiSGFCoI3NvglMfS-4HaRdW3sXLeNHEWwVLU0UBDinOtU8RoxRrCST5FW/s1600-h/GayComics28_0_0_0x0_400x400.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400708692686146018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-m0uybUrngzRhiDoJbKGpx8TIvaJJRNOUiKERCQUtc9D4RBUriOOcqoWyl6JwW1l5kwgb0RtsMATTrYi7YFIiSGFCoI3NvglMfS-4HaRdW3sXLeNHEWwVLU0UBDinOtU8RoxRrCST5FW/s320/GayComics28_0_0_0x0_400x400.jpg" /></a></p><p align="left">The next Gay Super Hero can be each and every one of us....gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, humans, all soldiers of peace united in a common cause for equal justice and liberty of all, punching out the Super Villains of hate that divide us and drain our resources as a race. Imagine all the progress we could make in other areas of life if we didn't have to have the hundreds of coalitions fighting for and against gay rights. We could tackle the real issues like preventing the complete destruction of our planet, end starvation and poverty and hey, maybe cure cancer or even the common cold.
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<br />Ask yourself what will you do today to contribute to the cause? Will you be our next Super Hero?
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<br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVUM0f8EgwkgItFKopUe56JsNUtP4HE6Mcsx4XCEehnemged4JSsn3hSzfVwe1DV_drCCzxtoUFozpE8nDOaXyann6A-KhR50-D1mL73LBOR-dPKWbVTpmdWyA_xPFfjN4b3cLabfUcwf/s1600/superhero-boy_contest_winner.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 226px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463962158441225586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVUM0f8EgwkgItFKopUe56JsNUtP4HE6Mcsx4XCEehnemged4JSsn3hSzfVwe1DV_drCCzxtoUFozpE8nDOaXyann6A-KhR50-D1mL73LBOR-dPKWbVTpmdWyA_xPFfjN4b3cLabfUcwf/s320/superhero-boy_contest_winner.jpg" /></a></p><p align="left">Customize this video and visualize yourself saving the world here: <a href="http://en.tackfilm.se/?id=1268232928984RA21">http://en.tackfilm.se/?id=1268232928984RA21</a>
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<br /></small>New initiative promoting <a href="http://www.gayamericanheroes.info/">gay american heroes</a>.
<br /><embed height="260" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="456" src="http://static.ning.com/socialnetworkmain/widgets/video/flvplayer/flvplayer.swf?v=" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" scale="noscale" bgcolor="#666666" flashvars="config=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imgay.tv%2Fvideo%2Fvideo%2FshowPlayerConfig%3Fid%3D2108675%253AVideo%253A7295%26ck%3D-&video_smoothing=on&autoplay=off&isEmbedCode=1" wmode="opaque"></embed>
<br /><small><a href="http://www.imgay.tv/video/video">
<br /></a></small>Here is a 3-D Video of what the Traveling Rainbow Memorial will look like.
<br /><a href="http://www.vimeo.com/2334727">http://www.vimeo.com/2334727</a>
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<br />Stan lee creator of Spiderman reported to be creating a new gay superhero:<a href="http://www.imgay.tv/video/video"> </a>
<br /></a><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/4237161/Stan-Lee-to-create-worlds-first-gay-superhero.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/4237161/Stan-Lee-to-create-worlds-first-gay-superhero.html</a> </p>
<br />Adamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09993460537674393860noreply@blogger.com6