Li:ritual, propriety, etiquette.Hsiao:love within the family (parents for children and children for parents. Yi: righteousness--the noblest way to act in a situation.Xin:honesty and trustworthiness.Jen:benevolence, humaneness towards others.Chung:loyalty to the state and authority.--Confucius (Kong Fuzi)
All articles appear in reverse chronological order [newest first].
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I believe the past is relevant, sometimes more than others of course. In most cases we are seeing history being repeated, so it is most relevant.
“…I did not believe Christ was meek and lowly but a real living, vital agitator who went into the temple with a lash and a krout and whipped the oppressors of the poor, routed them out of the doors and spilled their blood and got silver on the floor. He told the robbed and misruled and exploited and driven people to disobey their plunderers, he denounced the profiteers, and it was for this that they nailed his quivering body to the cross and spiked it to the gates of Jerusalem, not because he told them to love one another. That was harmless doctrine. But when he touched their profits and denounced them before their people he was marked for crucifixion.” Speaking to a reporter for Call from his prison cell in 1919 while serving time for making anti-war speeches.
UPDATED [3-23-2016 see bottom] and reposted from 3-16-2011:
For those who are to young to be aware of it, the wire coat hanger in the closet was the tool of choice for performing abortions back when it was illegal. It was used by back ally abortionist and by those foolish enough to try and and perform their own abortions. The term "back alley abortions" come from two practices, one being that you never wanted to be seen going in the front of a suspected abortionist residence. These abortionist were seldom doctors. In the case of people who had connections that could obtain an abortion from a legitimate doctor also wouldn't go during business hours because it was still illegal. In both cases you would come in through the backdoor from the alley. The second practice was that when the procedure went wrong, and it did so often, the body of the child, mother or both would be dumped in an alley. This was true even if the mother, child or both were still alive. The illegality led to unsanitary conditions, death, infection, mutilation, and a vast array of medical problems for the survivors. WHEN PROBLEMS OCCURRED THE LAST THING THE ABORTIONIST WAS GOING TO DO WAS INCREMINATE THEMSELVES BY TAKING THE PATIENTS TO THE HOSPITAL. Finding mothers who had bled to death was not uncommon. In that environment, then a part of American culture, the abortionist was usually part of the criminal underbelly comparative to pimps and drug pushers.
I believe abortion is wrong, but I believe a return to back alley abortions is 'wronger'. The reversal of Roe v. Wade would settle nothing. If you are not prepared to settle the questions of cradle to the grave social issues, or to deal with the financial consequences of single motherhood, or the stigma of single motherhood, or the choice of life or death then you are not ready to solve the problem. It is within this context that I support a women's right to choose.
Don't believe that we would go back to back alley abortions? Don't believe that there is still a stigma attached to teen or unwanted pregnancies? I heard a story on the news earlier today, sorry details didn't register, about a girl who was crowned queen of something at her high school who has been criticized as 'unfit' to hold the position because she is a mother. Would they prefer she had an abortion? No, those who are criticizing her are probably the same 'abortion is murder' contingent.
“One of the leading causes of death amongst teenagers is suicide. The Centers for Disease control report that it is the third leading cause of death, behind accidents and homicide, of people aged 15 to 24. Even more disturbing is the fact that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 14.” source: http://www.teensuicidestatistics.com/
“There are as many as eight to 25 attempted suicides to one completed suicide - with the ratio even higher in youth.” So the threat is even higher. source: Ohio State University Medical Center
These are kids with futures who are killing themselves because they dented their fathers car, got a 'C' on a test, got dumped by a boyfriend or girlfriend, where bullied, depressed, parents divorcing, victims of abuse, couldn't deal with the stigma of their homosexuality, or suffered from unrequited puppy love! They are choosing suicide in frightening numbers for ridiculous [to us] reasons.
Coat Hanger Abortions Are Fine, Says Mississippi Lawmaker, Because ‘Hey, You Have To Have Moral Values’
What’s the Answer to Abortion in the Age of the Prison-Industrial Complex? Lock Women Up and Throw Away the Key?
by Farah Diaz-Tello, National Advocates for Pregnant Women July 12, 2012 - 3:15 pm
A mini-documentary on YouTube from 2007 has recently gotten a new lease on life. The filmmaker asks protesters outside of a women’s health clinic in Libertyville, Illinois whether they think abortion should be illegal. They do. What should the penalties be, he asks? What happens next is fascinating: they fumble… …read more
When Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol got pregnant and ‘chose’ to have her baby she was applauded for ‘doing the right thing’. Did she really choose to do anything? What dilemma did she face? She had:
successful parents
a strong family structure
the support of complete strangers [a political party who set aside their constant call for the promotion of shame]
access to ‘nanny care’
and sudden notoriety from her, her mother’s and her baby-daddy's shenanigans.
As well as the wealth these things have brought her. SO what was the big choice she had to make? Holding that poor girl up as a shining example of doing the right thing just ignores the real choices that most women face. What if she wasn’t who her momma was? What if she was from a broken dysfunctional home, a violent drug infested home, was kicked out of her home, was a victim of spousal abuse or incest, lived in a drug invested crime ridden neighborhood, had no access to pre-natal care or basic health care, had no diploma, no skills, no employment future and no life skills for dealing with a very scary and most uncertain future for her and a child she would very much like to love and raise? These are the factors Bristol Palin and many women never have to deal with, but they are the factors that overwhelm many women leaving them seeing very few options. Their choices unfortunately become a dismal future for themselves and their child, suicide or legal abortion. Where some kids kill themselves irrationally over getting a ‘C’ on a test an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy becomes a no brainer since they see no good choice. Making abortions illegal will not help them make the right or best choice it will just drive that already irrational behavior back into the ‘back alley’. We can only solve this problem when we start making more and better choices available to those who have too few options now.
Karma is the law of cause and effect – an unbreakable law of the cosmos. Your actions create your future. The reason your fate is never sealed is because you have free will. Therefore your future cannot already be written. That would not be fair. Life gives you chances. This is one of them. – The Tree of Awakening
“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”
“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” Gandhi
The Great Law: “As you sow, so shall you reap.”
The Law of Creation: “What we desire comes through participation.”
The Law of Humility: “Refusal to accept what is will still be what is.”
The Law of Growth: “Our own growth is above any circumstance.”
The Law of Responsibility: “Our lives are of our own doing, nothing else.”
The Law of Connection: “Everything in the Universe is connected, both large and small.”
The Law of Focus: “One cannot direct attention beyond a single task.”
The Law of Hospitality and Giving: “Demonstrating our selflessness shows true intentions.”
The Law of Change: “History repeats itself unless changed.”
The Law of Here and Now: “The Present is all we have.”
The Law of Patience and Reward: “Nothing of value is created without a patient mindset.”
The Law of Significance and Inspiration: “The best reward is one that contributes to the Whole.”
According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington recently was faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine but, after they put on their lipstick, they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back. Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirrors.
Next week, Paul Ryan and his fellow Republicans in the House of Representatives will introduce a budget that calls for $7 trillion in cuts to programs for low income individuals and seniors – including savage cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Thankfully, there’s a progressive alternative that strengthens our social safety net and creates 3.6 million new good-paying jobs while protecting Social Security. The People’s Budget – introduced by the Congressional Progressive Caucus – keeps Social Security’s trust fund separate from the general budget fund, just as the law requires, and protects it for current and future generations. It also endorses increasing Social Security’s modest benefits separate and apart from the budget. Take a stand against cuts to our earned benefits and in favor of expansion! Show our progressive leaders in Congress that we have their backs by becoming a co-sponsor of The People’s Budget today. This budget recognizes that our Social Security system is the solution to our growing retirement security crisis and makes clear that its funds are dedicated exclusively to funding those earned benefits.
Right now, the average Social Security benefit for current recipients is just $14,000 a year. And two-thirds of retirees depend on Social Security benefits for the majority of their income. We are not going to solve rising levels of income inequality or the retirement security crisis through cuts to critical programs. That is why we must stand united in our opposition to a Republican budget – balanced on the backs of hardworking Americans – and instead support The People’s Budget, which benefits the middle class and working families of this country. Please, become a citizen co-sponsor of The People’s Budget today to protect the future of our earned benefits.
Republicans will use their budget as a blueprint for their election year policies and it is more important than ever that we stand united in our message of expansion.
Oscar nominations for 2015 movies have been announced. As a movie 'hobbyist', I do not claim to be a critic, but as as someone who sees a lot of movies, I do claim to have an opinion. That doesn't qualify me, but it motivates me. So, just like all those opinionated boobs who get paid to pontificate on the nominees, and those other boobs who are content to limit their opinions to 140 character messages on Twitter, I shall express my annual opinion on the movies from 2015 in relationship to the nominations in much more than 140 characters.
Having seen over 60 movies released in 2015 there are still some movies I haven't seen.
IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE:
1] Spotlight Nominated, Winner & My Choice Best Picture 2] Pawn Sacrifice 3] The Revenant Nominated Best Picture 4] Straight Out Of Compton 5] Southpaw 6] Room Nominated Best Picture 6] Black Mass 7] The Martian Nominated Best Picture 8] Jurassic World 9] Bridge of Spies Nominated Best Picture 10] Spy Star Wars: The Force Awakens Ricki and The Flash The 33 Everest In The Heart Of The Sea Women in Gold Brooklyn Nominated Best Picture Avengers: Age of Ultron Mockingjay Part 2 Mad Max: Fury Road Nominated Best Picture Man From U.N.C.L.E. Trumbo Far From The Maddening Crowd Sufffragette Piku Mountain Men American Ultra The Walk True Story Steve Jobs The Big Short Nominated Best Picture Terminator: Genesys Black Sea Spectre Rock The Kasbah The Gunman Ant Man The Wedding Ringer The Night Before Minions Mr. Holmes No Escape Crisis Is Our Brand Serena Ex Machina Walk In The Woods Unfinished Business St. Andreas Mission Impossible: RN Get Hard Mortdecai Ted 2 Cinderella Fantastic Four Run All Night Trainwreck Steve Jobs: The Man and the Machine Focus The 11 Most Mediocre Aloha Entourage Tomorrow Land Pan Insurgent Paddington Kingsman: The Secret Service Agent 47 (this 1 sucks) Survivor Blackhat Jupiter Ascending
You can also see my list of movies seen in 2016 in the left-hand-sidebar of this page. Just scroll down. The movies are listed from favorite to least favorite, but don't confuse what I select as my favorite movie with what I think is the 'Best' movie.
If they ever establish an Oscar for “Best Short Performance EVER” my winner would be:
George Savalas (younger brother of Telly) in “Kelly’s Heroes” as First Sergeant Mulligan. He’s on camera in only two scenes. In one scene he says one word two times, end of scene, about 20 seconds. In the other scene he delivers 53 seconds of recognition, angst, fear, panic, logic, humility, desperation, understanding, determination, and scared defiance.
My lifetime achievement award in the “Best Short Performance EVER” category would go to Don Rickles, who is also in Kelly’s Heroes. It seems that when you look at stars in one field transitioning to another field comedians seems to be the more successful professions at crossing over to film. Don Rickles, Robin Williams, Tom Hanks and others seem able to transition to emotional displays so much better than singers, musicians, writers, athletes and politicians.
actions create your future. The reason your fate is never sealed is because you have free will. Therefore your future cannot already be written. That would not be fair. Life gives you chances. This is one of them. – The Tree of Awakening
on in the bathroom. That was fine but, after they put on their lipstick, they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back. Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She 
called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was 
required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirrors.
