Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.
-Karl Marx
Monday, April 30, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Half Nekkid Saturday
..Americans, What would you like to say to the people of Iraq?
PROTESTERS PLEAD FOR PEACE
4 years since invasion: Anniversary inspires marches
Calling for an immediate end to the American presence in Iraq, about 3,000 boisterous protesters marched from the Embarcadero through downtown San Francisco to Civic Center on Sunday afternoon.
What the march may have lacked in numbers, it made up for in intensity.
"Don't let Bush and Cheney break your spirit,'' the Rev. Amos Brown, leader of the local chapter of the NAACP and a former San Francisco supervisor, told the crowd at Civic Center Plaza.
Keith Goodman of Berkeley, who pushed his 4-year-old daughter in a stroller the length of the march, warned that the full story of Iraq is not being told.
"No one seems to be talking about the Iraqis who are dying," he said. "Imagine if we shut down the electricity and closed all the hospitals in this country, what would the death toll be here?''
Timed to mark today's fourth anniversary of the U.S. invasion, the march began shortly before 1 p.m. at Justin Herman Plaza near the Embarcadero and proceeded up Market Street. By 3:30 p.m., the speeches were done and the banners furled, and the crowd had begun to melt away.
Protesters also hit the streets Sunday in communities around the nation, including major cities like New York and Portland, Ore., and smaller towns like Boise, Idaho, and Bangor, Maine.
Among the San Francisco demonstrators were former members of the military who had served in Iraq.
"I felt comfortable with the idea of protecting America based on the assumption that Saddam (Hussein) had weapons of mass destruction,'' said 24-year-old Sean O'Neill of Fremont, a former Marine sergeant who served two tours in Iraq. "I started having real problems with the war when those assumptions proved false.''
There's growing discontent in the military over the war in Iraq, O'Neill said, even among soldiers who went to the Middle East for idealistic reasons.
"Things change for them when they get over, when they see the way things are going on the ground,'' O'Neill said.
Also participating in the March were members of Code Pink, a group that on March 11 began a round-the-clock vigil outside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Pacific Heights home. The group set up "Camp Pelosi" on the steps of her Broadway Street home and plans to stay until Congress votes on the supplemental appropriation bill for the war later this week.
"We're not against Nancy Pelosi. We're not protesting Nancy Pelosi. We want her to provide strong leadership to end the war now,'' said Cynthia Papermaster, a San Francisco resident and member of Code Pink. "We want her to cut funding and end the war now, not a year from now."
Pelosi has said she is sympathetic to their cause.
Doubt about the conduct of the war, which fueled November's Democratic takeover of Congress, continues to grow. A CNN poll of 1,027 adults released Sunday showed that only 35 percent of Americans are confident about the war in Iraq, down from 83 percent when the war began. Thirty percent of those surveyed were proud of the war, down from 65 percent in 2003.
Sunday's San Francisco march was in keeping with the city's reputation. The air reeked of burning white sage and patchouli and, occasionally, marijuana. Two men in tight shorts and arm ruffles danced on stilts, accompanied by musicians playing accordions, clarinets, bongos and finger cymbals. At Civic Center, booths hawked literature, T-shirts and bumper stickers promoting the virtues of movements and philosophies that would be considered irregular or even scandalous in more conservative quarters.
While Iraq was the day's main focus, the marchers had plenty of other concerns. More than a half-dozen speakers fired up the protesters before the march, calling on the United States to abandon its military bases throughout the world, most especially in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines.
People carried signs saying "Impeach," "No Blood for Oil" and even "Obama '08.''
About 30 American Indians at the head of the march called for an end to more than 500 years of "illegal occupation'' of North America by people of European descent.
"Native Americans are leading this protest because we've always been marginalized in this country,'' said Morning Star Gali of California's Pit River tribe. "In the last couple of years, we've been speaking out more and more against the occupation in Iraq.''
San Francisco police no longer estimate crowd sizes, although department spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens said protest organizers told police to expect 3,000 to 5,000 marchers. The Chronicle's estimate of 3,000 is based on a count of the crowd as it moved off Market Street onto McAllister Street. A speaker praised the crowd at Civic Center for its size, telling the crowd it was 3,000-strong.
There were no reported problems with the march, Gittens said.
The protest didn't attract anywhere near the crowds that showed up for similar events in 2002 and 2003 that blocked access to much of downtown San Francisco.
"There are demonstrations all over the Bay Area today," said Berkeley resident Bill Booth, 82. "That may have diluted the turnout in San Francisco a little."
War demonstrations today
-- San Ramon: Several groups are participating in a rally to protest Chevron's role in the Iraq war, 7-11 a.m. at the oil company's headquarters, 6001 Bollinger Canyon Road.
-- San Francisco: A civil disobedience die-in and vigil against war funding by the 1st Lt. Watada Support Group, noon, office of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Market and Montgomery streets.
-- San Francisco: A rally in front of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, noon, Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate Ave.
-- San Francisco: Several vigils marking the fourth anniversary of the Iraq war are planned by MoveOn: Market Street BART stations, 11:45 a.m.; corner of Lake Street and Park Presidio, 5 p.m.; Justin Herman Plaza, 6:45 p.m.; top of Bernal Hill, 7:15 p.m.
-- Alameda: Vigil in front of City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara, 7-8 p.m.
-- Berkeley: West Berkeley Candles for Peace candlelight vigil at the intersection of University and San Pablo avenues, 6 p.m.
-- Oakland: Silent vigil at the Pergola on Lake Merritt, Embarcadero between Grand and Lakeshore avenues, 6 p.m.
-- Petaluma: Candlelight vigil, Helen Putnam Plaza, 6 p.m.
-- Sonoma: Candlelight vigil to support the troops, Sonoma City Hall Plaza, 1 The Plaza, 6 p.m.
Chronicle political writer John Wildermuth contributed to this report.
This article appeared on page A - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
MONDAv';APRIL 30, i007
$ decline tracks US fall from grace
Weakening Currency Signals Shaky Future For World's Strongest Economy
Steven C Johnson
New York: The United States may have no military equals, but the challenges to its financial power have become impossible to ignore.A stark reminder came on Friday when the weakening dollar slumped to a record low against its main rival, the euro, after the U.S. economy recorded its fourth consecutive quarter of below-trend growth. Experts say the cons.equences of its long-term decline could have deep significance - for average Americans and for the country's position as an unrivaled global power."We can no longer view ourselves as king of the hill," said Leo Melamed, chairman emeritus of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and founder of the world's first market for financial futures. For most of the 20th century, things were different. The United States was the only country that was stronger at the end of World War II than at start. Since the end of the Cold War, however, foreign rivals have knocked it off its pedestal in a host of eco-
nomic rankings. To students of history, the situation looks like a rerun of Britain's decline 60 years ago, when massive postwar debt and a sharp slide in the pound forced the dissolution of the empire and marked the end of Britain's days as a major world power.Today; China is growing more rapidly than the United States, and many investors and historians alike see the European Union as its economic equal. Wall Street seems to be losing its edge, too, even though the Dow Jones industrial average of 30 major U.S. stocks closed at a record high this
IN BIG TOUBLE
· Companies are increasingly looking towards China & London to go public
· The US must attract $3bn a working day to finance a gaping current account deficit
· China with over $1 trillion in reserves is one of the biggest creditors
· The situation may lead to faster US inflation and a declining standard of living
week. Companies that would once have turned to New York to raise money now increasingly go public on exchanges in London and Hong Kong. The dollar is perhaps the biggest problem. As a net debtor, the United States must attract some $3 billion every working day to fmance a gaping current account deficit that in 2006 amounted to 6.5 % of gross domestic product.Economic rivals such as China and Japan, on the other hand, boast massive surpluses. Since Americans also spend more than they save, the money to cover the U.S. deficit
must come from foreign lenders such as central banks.China, which holds more than $1 trillion in foreign currency reserves, is one of the biggest creditors.As the dollar has steadily weakened over the last year, the value of the dollar-denominated assets held by central banks has also declined.The trend may motivate foreigners to start holding more euros instead, exacerbating pressure on the dollar and leading to faster US inflation and a declining standard of living.That's increasingly possible because euro-denominated debt today accounts for a bigger share of the international bond market than do dollar-based securities. That means oil exporters could fmd it easier to start pricing crude in euros, Rogers said, adding to the fmancial burden on the United States, the world's biggest consumer of oil. . While a weaker dollar may boost U.S. exports and the profits of U.S. companies with overseas operations, weaker foreign demand for U.S. Treasury bonds would push up long-term
interest rates, raising mortgage payments for U.S. homeowners and borrowing costs for an indebted government.There is a potential upside to the dollar's fall. For one thing, its decline would help shrink the massive U.S. trade deficit. Also, some economists argue that competition between countries is part of globalization's rising tide that will eventually lift all boats.Others worry about America's global reach, especially as the war in Iraq strains both U.S.fmances and credibility."We are doing terrible damage to ourselves (in Iraq), and the Chinese, are simply sitting back and acting in many parts of the world with increasing influence," said Zbigniew Brzezinski, a former national security adviser. under President Jimmy Carter.Indeed, the economic leverage China holds over the United States may one day allow it to absorb Taiwan without a fight, said H. W. Brands, a University of Texas history professor and author of "The Hundred Years' War Over the American Dollar." REUTERS
$ decline tracks US fall from grace
Weakening Currency Signals Shaky Future For World's Strongest Economy
Steven C Johnson
New York: The United States may have no military equals, but the challenges to its financial power have become impossible to ignore.A stark reminder came on Friday when the weakening dollar slumped to a record low against its main rival, the euro, after the U.S. economy recorded its fourth consecutive quarter of below-trend growth. Experts say the cons.equences of its long-term decline could have deep significance - for average Americans and for the country's position as an unrivaled global power."We can no longer view ourselves as king of the hill," said Leo Melamed, chairman emeritus of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and founder of the world's first market for financial futures. For most of the 20th century, things were different. The United States was the only country that was stronger at the end of World War II than at start. Since the end of the Cold War, however, foreign rivals have knocked it off its pedestal in a host of eco-
nomic rankings. To students of history, the situation looks like a rerun of Britain's decline 60 years ago, when massive postwar debt and a sharp slide in the pound forced the dissolution of the empire and marked the end of Britain's days as a major world power.Today; China is growing more rapidly than the United States, and many investors and historians alike see the European Union as its economic equal. Wall Street seems to be losing its edge, too, even though the Dow Jones industrial average of 30 major U.S. stocks closed at a record high this
IN BIG TOUBLE
· Companies are increasingly looking towards China & London to go public
· The US must attract $3bn a working day to finance a gaping current account deficit
· China with over $1 trillion in reserves is one of the biggest creditors
· The situation may lead to faster US inflation and a declining standard of living
week. Companies that would once have turned to New York to raise money now increasingly go public on exchanges in London and Hong Kong. The dollar is perhaps the biggest problem. As a net debtor, the United States must attract some $3 billion every working day to fmance a gaping current account deficit that in 2006 amounted to 6.5 % of gross domestic product.Economic rivals such as China and Japan, on the other hand, boast massive surpluses. Since Americans also spend more than they save, the money to cover the U.S. deficit
must come from foreign lenders such as central banks.China, which holds more than $1 trillion in foreign currency reserves, is one of the biggest creditors.As the dollar has steadily weakened over the last year, the value of the dollar-denominated assets held by central banks has also declined.The trend may motivate foreigners to start holding more euros instead, exacerbating pressure on the dollar and leading to faster US inflation and a declining standard of living.That's increasingly possible because euro-denominated debt today accounts for a bigger share of the international bond market than do dollar-based securities. That means oil exporters could fmd it easier to start pricing crude in euros, Rogers said, adding to the fmancial burden on the United States, the world's biggest consumer of oil. . While a weaker dollar may boost U.S. exports and the profits of U.S. companies with overseas operations, weaker foreign demand for U.S. Treasury bonds would push up long-term
interest rates, raising mortgage payments for U.S. homeowners and borrowing costs for an indebted government.There is a potential upside to the dollar's fall. For one thing, its decline would help shrink the massive U.S. trade deficit. Also, some economists argue that competition between countries is part of globalization's rising tide that will eventually lift all boats.Others worry about America's global reach, especially as the war in Iraq strains both U.S.fmances and credibility."We are doing terrible damage to ourselves (in Iraq), and the Chinese, are simply sitting back and acting in many parts of the world with increasing influence," said Zbigniew Brzezinski, a former national security adviser. under President Jimmy Carter.Indeed, the economic leverage China holds over the United States may one day allow it to absorb Taiwan without a fight, said H. W. Brands, a University of Texas history professor and author of "The Hundred Years' War Over the American Dollar." REUTERS
Thursday, April 26, 2007
India on the move to the Top, USA declining
.India becomes a trillion-S economy
--'~"
~INDIA POISED
11
to In
or 1 P2
TIMES INSIGHT GROUP
the e
New Delhi: India just became a trillion-dollar economy. And with that it has moved into the elite club of 11 economic powerhouses that enjoy this distinction. This is not expected to be a statistical blip, even though India crossed the trillion-dollar threshold as a result of the US dollar slipping below Rs 41 on Wednesday.India's gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices is officially estimated to be just over Rs 41,00,000 crore for 2006-'07 and that, on current exchange rates, translates into a little more than a trillion dollars. Considering that as recently as in 2000-'01, India's GDP was under $500 billion, this means it has more than doubled in the last six years.Successive years of 8-9% growth have obviously helped, but ironically so has the fact that inflation has been relatively high, which means the gro-
ttal
UP d
j ima
oare
ers' il J ,sed
TRILLIONAIRES CLUB GDP in $ trillion
US Japan Germany .:.. ==-= 2.89 China ~ ~ J 2.55 UK--2.36---France _-:::-:::- 2.23 Italy C-=1.84 Spain~1.22 Canada.... _127 Brazil L:: 1.07 India·.LOl
. For 2006-07 at Thursday's exchange rate.All others fnlm Credit SUisse estimates for De<: 2006 . WIn m nommal GDP is much more than in real terms. The recent strengthening of the rupee against the dollar has provided the fmal push to take the economy beyond the trillion-dollarmark.So, is it just a temporary statistical blip? Perhaps not. Even if the economy grows by as little as 5% in the current year and inflation stays at around 5 %, the country's GDP for 2007-'08 will be of the order of Rs 45,00,000 crore.So, even if the exchange rate were to move back to around Rs 45 to the dollar, we would still end the year with a trillion-dollar economy.India is already the 11 th largest economy in the world in nominal dollar terms and this development means that all of the 11 biggies will be over a trillion dollars in size, the US leading the list with over $13.5 trillion as its GDP. J. ~ 'NRls worth over $1 trillion', P 25 . . .. .. . .. . .~ . v......................:::::::::::::::::::::::.: ..~~-:... ~:.::. . ..... ..
--'~"
~INDIA POISED
11
to In
or 1 P2
TIMES INSIGHT GROUP
the e
New Delhi: India just became a trillion-dollar economy. And with that it has moved into the elite club of 11 economic powerhouses that enjoy this distinction. This is not expected to be a statistical blip, even though India crossed the trillion-dollar threshold as a result of the US dollar slipping below Rs 41 on Wednesday.India's gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices is officially estimated to be just over Rs 41,00,000 crore for 2006-'07 and that, on current exchange rates, translates into a little more than a trillion dollars. Considering that as recently as in 2000-'01, India's GDP was under $500 billion, this means it has more than doubled in the last six years.Successive years of 8-9% growth have obviously helped, but ironically so has the fact that inflation has been relatively high, which means the gro-
ttal
UP d
j ima
oare
ers' il J ,sed
TRILLIONAIRES CLUB GDP in $ trillion
US Japan Germany .:.. ==-= 2.89 China ~ ~ J 2.55 UK--2.36---France _-:::-:::- 2.23 Italy C-=1.84 Spain~1.22 Canada.... _127 Brazil L:: 1.07 India·.LOl
. For 2006-07 at Thursday's exchange rate.All others fnlm Credit SUisse estimates for De<: 2006 . WIn m nommal GDP is much more than in real terms. The recent strengthening of the rupee against the dollar has provided the fmal push to take the economy beyond the trillion-dollarmark.So, is it just a temporary statistical blip? Perhaps not. Even if the economy grows by as little as 5% in the current year and inflation stays at around 5 %, the country's GDP for 2007-'08 will be of the order of Rs 45,00,000 crore.So, even if the exchange rate were to move back to around Rs 45 to the dollar, we would still end the year with a trillion-dollar economy.India is already the 11 th largest economy in the world in nominal dollar terms and this development means that all of the 11 biggies will be over a trillion dollars in size, the US leading the list with over $13.5 trillion as its GDP. J. ~ 'NRls worth over $1 trillion', P 25 . . .. .. . .. . .~ . v......................:::::::::::::::::::::::.: ..~~-:... ~:.::. . ..... ..
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Who is normal ?
I am back
coz Miranda is back
Life is short, Break the rules,
Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly,
Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably,
And never regret anything that made you smile.
Send to all the people you love and don’t want to lose in 2007, even me….
If you get 3 back you are a great friend.
- Kim (SSB)
It is friends like these that makes life so precious
Never will i despair again
coz Miranda is back
Life is short, Break the rules,
Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly,
Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably,
And never regret anything that made you smile.
Send to all the people you love and don’t want to lose in 2007, even me….
If you get 3 back you are a great friend.
- Kim (SSB)
It is friends like these that makes life so precious
Never will i despair again
Who is normal, you or me?
I've sometimes wondered whether we live a completely normal life or if we are completely different and weird.
For example, is our week day morning ritual the same as everyone else's?
We do the shower, shave, get dressed, get the paper while the kettle boils, make coffee, make toast, eat toast, drink coffee while reading paper, wake kids, get them breakfast (actually Gabba does that), nag at kids to get ready, I go to work and then God only knows what happens at our house after that until I get home again.
It all seems perfectly normal to me.
Bloody hell it's a boring existence if everyone does that stuff 220 odd days a year. Over and over and over again. If only something slightly out of the ordinary would happen to relieve me of this routine.
I wonder what would happen if I spiced it up a bit. Say, have my toast before I made the coffee? Oh, yeah. I might give that a go tomorrow.
The PhotoIt's some toi toi (I don't know if it's actually spelled toe toe) taken in the dying light on Ocean Beach back last year on our weekend trip to Kawhia. Nice and peaceful and quiet after yesterdays dark and stormy sea.Captured: 2005:09:03 17:34:13
I've sometimes wondered whether we live a completely normal life or if we are completely different and weird.
For example, is our week day morning ritual the same as everyone else's?
We do the shower, shave, get dressed, get the paper while the kettle boils, make coffee, make toast, eat toast, drink coffee while reading paper, wake kids, get them breakfast (actually Gabba does that), nag at kids to get ready, I go to work and then God only knows what happens at our house after that until I get home again.
It all seems perfectly normal to me.
Bloody hell it's a boring existence if everyone does that stuff 220 odd days a year. Over and over and over again. If only something slightly out of the ordinary would happen to relieve me of this routine.
I wonder what would happen if I spiced it up a bit. Say, have my toast before I made the coffee? Oh, yeah. I might give that a go tomorrow.
The PhotoIt's some toi toi (I don't know if it's actually spelled toe toe) taken in the dying light on Ocean Beach back last year on our weekend trip to Kawhia. Nice and peaceful and quiet after yesterdays dark and stormy sea.Captured: 2005:09:03 17:34:13
Waving good bye to a thousand flies
Home Excerpts Gallery Editorial Links
OUT NOW THROUGH TRAFFORD PUBLISHING
Release Date - 29 June 2004ISBN 141203384 - 5Actual Book Size W 6" x H 9" - 256 Pages
Available direct from publisher Trafford Publishing and Amazon
To contact the author direct, please e-mail: johnleonardspencer@wavinggoodbyetoathousandflies.com
Home Excerpts Gallery Editorial Links
Copyright © 2004 - 2007 John Leonard Spencer. All rights reserved.
OUT NOW THROUGH TRAFFORD PUBLISHING
Release Date - 29 June 2004ISBN 141203384 - 5Actual Book Size W 6" x H 9" - 256 Pages
Available direct from publisher Trafford Publishing and Amazon
To contact the author direct, please e-mail: johnleonardspencer@wavinggoodbyetoathousandflies.com
Home Excerpts Gallery Editorial Links
Copyright © 2004 - 2007 John Leonard Spencer. All rights reserved.
The ANZAC Day Tradition
What is ANZAC Day?
Why is this day so special to Australians?
Early commemorations
What does it mean today?
Dawn Service
The ANZAC Day ceremony
Features of a commemorative ceremony
What is ANZAC Day?
ANZAC Day - 25 April - is probably Australia's most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.
What is ANZAC Day?
Why is this day so special to Australians?
Early commemorations
What does it mean today?
Dawn Service
The ANZAC Day ceremony
Features of a commemorative ceremony
What is ANZAC Day?
ANZAC Day - 25 April - is probably Australia's most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Thanks annony mouse
for hope
It's easy to look at someone else's life and say, oh it looks so fantastic, they've got this and that and the other and their only this age. It doesn't help when other people point at you and say what are you doing with your life? Why aren't you married yet? Why aren't you running your own company?It's so much easier to feel down and wonder, when will my life be like that? When am I finally going to get to where I'm going? Life is full of "if onlys" and missed opportunities. But we can't dwell on those, as long as we have a goal in mind and strive towards achieving it, it doesn't matter what anybody else does or says. So what if they achieve their goal before you?The important thing is that you focus on your and enjoy the journey along the way. Maybe you have to take a few detours, enjoy them, they could just be new opportunities and with a little bit of faith and luck you'll always end up back on your feet.As long as you never let go of hope, you'll always have something to look forward to, something to warm your heart in your darkest hour and something to keep you moving ahead.
Labels: General
posted by The Agony Aunt at 12:52 PM thought out loud(1)
postCountTB('4689795762960028203');
Trackback (0)
-->
Monday, April 09, 2007
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Dancing With God
When I meditated on the word Guidance,>
I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.>
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.>
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.>
The movement doesn't flow with the music,> and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.>
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,>
both bodies begin to flow with the music.>
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back>
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.>
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.>
The dance takes surrender, willingness,>
and attentiveness from one person>
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.>
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.>
When I saw "G: I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".>
"God, "u" and "i" dance.">
God, you, and I dance.>
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust>
that I would get guidance about my life.
> My prayer for you today is that God\'s blessings
and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.
This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached.
I Hope You Dance
- a forward from Mendes
Come and take a walk with me
I need all of y'all to come and take a walk with me
I need for all of y'all to feel what I'm going through
And see what I see, if you got time to take a walk with me
Wait a minute now
Shit ain't like I thought it would be
Come to Jersey from New York with me
I know you busy
But take the time out to walk with me
Pay attention on this tour with me
Maybe I'm seeing something wrong
Come along and make sure with me
Come and take a short walk with me
Yo, I'm seeing a couple things wrong with the way that I'm living
So come and walk with me
I just need a second opinion
Introduce you to my friends I got to see if you notice
If they loyal or if they all got an alterior motive
See some snake niggaz, me and them don't deal anymore
Ever since I got signed I don't know whats real anymore
I'm paranoid so excuse me if I seem to be nervous
But everybody from my past now they trying to resurface
Trying to rekindle, They don't think I know they gone limo
I got cousins I never knew they trying to pass me a dimo
Maybe I'm wrong, like I told you main I need your opinion
Me and him never spoke before so I don't see whats so different
Dudes I don't know they recognize me start extending they hand
And I'm trippin ready for beef when he was only a fan (why?)
Cause these niggaz in my hood say they don't like how I'm reppin'
Let me know how strongly you feel, will I be needing my weapon
As some sort of protection, should I carry a pen and pad
And ask everybody in the fucking hood for they suggestion
I'm letting the labels know that Jersey City is gifted (dog)
When they didn't know that Jersey City existed, but it's cool dog
Certain cats in Jersey City so hateful (Hateful)
And certain cats in Jersey City ain't grateful (Ain't grateful)
All they say is I don't chill anymore
Ever since I got signed they don't think I'm real anymore
I'm told I shouldn't be alone cause I'm a star in my hood
Something might happen now, they know who you are in the hood, they do
So I can't tell you how I feel anymore
Ever since I got signed I can't tell what's real anymore, you feelin' me dog
Come and take a walk with me
I need all of y'all to come and take a walk with me
I need for all of y'all to feel what I'm going through
And see what I see, if you got time to take a walk with me
Wait a minute now
Shit ain't like I thought it would be
Come to Jersey from New York with me
I know you busy
But take the time out to walk with me
Pay attention on this tour with me
Maybe I'm seeing something wrong
Come along and make sure with me
Come and take a short walk with me
continue walking, I know you ain't tired already
I take you to meet my girl I got to see if you notice
If she love me or if the bitch got an alterior motive
Why am I hated cause I handle my business
Ain't got to look for a girl nowadays cause almost all these niggaz is bitches
See 'em often while we walking I'll show you the drug dealers
and some dudes that hate me word on the streets is they real killers dog
Where was the hate back when I wasn't on my feet
An alcoholic, school dropout, just a bomb on the street
Where was the hate during my adolescence
Back when that psychiatrist was trying hard to get me on immanic depression so man
I don't recall none of this happenin' back then
And I don't understand I was still rappin' back then
So I got to ride with a gun
From trying to get my mom and pop up out of the slums and provide for my son
If you met my baby moms would you notice
If she was ready for a child of if her ass had an alterial motive
I don't know what she's teaching Trey but everday he get older
Angie's bitter and feel like now that I'm successful I owe her
Cause she would hold me so tight when I was ready to relapse
Tell me to relax, I ain't know no better straight out of rehab
Bottom line I was lonesome
But we was wrong for each other, Angie I grown some
Got bigger issues, if you went to Def Jam would you notice
If they was out for my best interest or do they just see a dollar in Joseph? (Ugh)
Guess I ain't sure how I feel anymore
Ever since I got signed I can't tell what's real anymore
I mean them same record execs that wanted me in
Don't care that I'm the next nigga, they just wanna see spins I swear
Guess I ain't sure how I feel anymore
Ever since I got signed I can't tell what's real anymore, you feelin' me dog
Come and take a walk with me
I need all of y'all to come and take a walk with me
I need for all of y'all to feel what I'm going through
And see what I see, if you got time to take a walk with me
= Joe Budden
I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.>
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.>
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.>
The movement doesn't flow with the music,> and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.>
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,>
both bodies begin to flow with the music.>
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back>
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.>
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.>
The dance takes surrender, willingness,>
and attentiveness from one person>
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.>
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.>
When I saw "G: I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".>
"God, "u" and "i" dance.">
God, you, and I dance.>
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust>
that I would get guidance about my life.
> My prayer for you today is that God\'s blessings
and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.
This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached.
I Hope You Dance
- a forward from Mendes
Come and take a walk with me
I need all of y'all to come and take a walk with me
I need for all of y'all to feel what I'm going through
And see what I see, if you got time to take a walk with me
Wait a minute now
Shit ain't like I thought it would be
Come to Jersey from New York with me
I know you busy
But take the time out to walk with me
Pay attention on this tour with me
Maybe I'm seeing something wrong
Come along and make sure with me
Come and take a short walk with me
Yo, I'm seeing a couple things wrong with the way that I'm living
So come and walk with me
I just need a second opinion
Introduce you to my friends I got to see if you notice
If they loyal or if they all got an alterior motive
See some snake niggaz, me and them don't deal anymore
Ever since I got signed I don't know whats real anymore
I'm paranoid so excuse me if I seem to be nervous
But everybody from my past now they trying to resurface
Trying to rekindle, They don't think I know they gone limo
I got cousins I never knew they trying to pass me a dimo
Maybe I'm wrong, like I told you main I need your opinion
Me and him never spoke before so I don't see whats so different
Dudes I don't know they recognize me start extending they hand
And I'm trippin ready for beef when he was only a fan (why?)
Cause these niggaz in my hood say they don't like how I'm reppin'
Let me know how strongly you feel, will I be needing my weapon
As some sort of protection, should I carry a pen and pad
And ask everybody in the fucking hood for they suggestion
I'm letting the labels know that Jersey City is gifted (dog)
When they didn't know that Jersey City existed, but it's cool dog
Certain cats in Jersey City so hateful (Hateful)
And certain cats in Jersey City ain't grateful (Ain't grateful)
All they say is I don't chill anymore
Ever since I got signed they don't think I'm real anymore
I'm told I shouldn't be alone cause I'm a star in my hood
Something might happen now, they know who you are in the hood, they do
So I can't tell you how I feel anymore
Ever since I got signed I can't tell what's real anymore, you feelin' me dog
Come and take a walk with me
I need all of y'all to come and take a walk with me
I need for all of y'all to feel what I'm going through
And see what I see, if you got time to take a walk with me
Wait a minute now
Shit ain't like I thought it would be
Come to Jersey from New York with me
I know you busy
But take the time out to walk with me
Pay attention on this tour with me
Maybe I'm seeing something wrong
Come along and make sure with me
Come and take a short walk with me
continue walking, I know you ain't tired already
I take you to meet my girl I got to see if you notice
If she love me or if the bitch got an alterior motive
Why am I hated cause I handle my business
Ain't got to look for a girl nowadays cause almost all these niggaz is bitches
See 'em often while we walking I'll show you the drug dealers
and some dudes that hate me word on the streets is they real killers dog
Where was the hate back when I wasn't on my feet
An alcoholic, school dropout, just a bomb on the street
Where was the hate during my adolescence
Back when that psychiatrist was trying hard to get me on immanic depression so man
I don't recall none of this happenin' back then
And I don't understand I was still rappin' back then
So I got to ride with a gun
From trying to get my mom and pop up out of the slums and provide for my son
If you met my baby moms would you notice
If she was ready for a child of if her ass had an alterial motive
I don't know what she's teaching Trey but everday he get older
Angie's bitter and feel like now that I'm successful I owe her
Cause she would hold me so tight when I was ready to relapse
Tell me to relax, I ain't know no better straight out of rehab
Bottom line I was lonesome
But we was wrong for each other, Angie I grown some
Got bigger issues, if you went to Def Jam would you notice
If they was out for my best interest or do they just see a dollar in Joseph? (Ugh)
Guess I ain't sure how I feel anymore
Ever since I got signed I can't tell what's real anymore
I mean them same record execs that wanted me in
Don't care that I'm the next nigga, they just wanna see spins I swear
Guess I ain't sure how I feel anymore
Ever since I got signed I can't tell what's real anymore, you feelin' me dog
Come and take a walk with me
I need all of y'all to come and take a walk with me
I need for all of y'all to feel what I'm going through
And see what I see, if you got time to take a walk with me
= Joe Budden
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit
Why does God allow people to die?
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. how we thank God who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord! 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. how we thank God who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord! 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
From the moment Adam sinned death was brought into this world. "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Therefore the blame rests squarely on us... not on God. The mortality rate in this world is 100%. Nobody is exempt... not even His Son.
though, as Paul says, death has no sting. God proved to us that life after death is possible through the resurrection of Jesus. The bible suggests that when we die we are immediately reunited with Jesus. Paul tells us that death is a welcome transition into eternal life. "To me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better" (Philippians 1:21).
He goes on to say... "Yet if I live, that means fruitful service for Christ. I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go and be with Christ. That would be far better for me" (see also 2 Corinthians 5:8).
And Jesus told the brigand on the cross "today you will be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).
Death is definitely something to fear, however, for those who live in rebellion to God. The bible is replete with descriptions of the agony, suffering and eternal torment awaiting those who have rejected Christ and die in their sins (Matthew 22:13, Mark 9:48, Revelation 20:10 are rather descriptive).
Paul talked about the hope of the resurrection in 1 Thessalonians 4:13:"I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died."
There are an estimated 7,487 promises in the bible. The hope of our resurrection and eternal life is one of the greatest.Sweet is death forevermore.Nor haughty hope, nor swart chagrin,Nor murdering hate, can enter in.All is now secure and fast.--Ralph Waldo EmersonPosted: Sat - July 16, 2005 at 10:18 AM
getBlogName();
The Apologetic Mission
getBlogName();
The Apologetic Mission
Maundy Thursday
The feast of Maundy (or Holy) Thursday solemnly commemorates the institution of the Eucharist and is the oldest of the observances peculiar to Holy Week. In Rome various accessory ceremonies were early added to this commemoration, namely the consecration of the holy oils and the reconciliation of penitents, ceremonies obviously practical in character and readily explained by the proximity of the Christian Easter and the necessity of preparing for it. Holy Thursday could not but be a day of liturgical reunion since, in the cycle of movable feasts, it brings around the anniversary of the institution of the Liturgy. On that day, whilst the preparation of candidates was being completed, the Church celebrated the Missa chrismalis of which we have already described the rite (see HOLY OILS) and, moreover, proceeded to the reconciliation of penitents. In Rome everything was carried on in daylight, whereas in Africa on Holy Thursday the Eucharist was celebrated after the evening meal, in view of more exact conformity with the circumstances of the Last Supper. Canon 24 of the Council of Carthage dispenses the faithful from fast before communion on Holy Thursday, because, on that day, it was customary take a bath, and the bath and fast were considered incompatible. St. Augustine, too, speaks of this custom (Ep. cxviii ad Januarium, n. 7); he even says that as certain persons did not fast on that day, the oblation was made twice, morning and evening, and in this way those who did not observe the fast could partake of the Eucharist after the morning meal, whilst those who fasted awaited the evening repast.
Holy Thursday was taken up with a succession of ceremonies of a joyful character. the baptism of neophytes, the reconciliation of penitents, the consecration of the holy oils, the washing of the feet, and commemoration of the Blessed Eucharist, and because of all these ceremonies, the day received different names, all of which allude to one or another of solemnities.
Redditio symboli was so called because, before being admitted to baptism, the catechumens had to recite the creed from memory, either in the presence of the bishop or his representative.
Pedilavium (washing of the feet), traces of which are found in the most ancient rites, occurred in many churches on Holy Thursday, the capitilavium (washing of the head) having taken place on Palm Sunday (St. Augustine, "Ep. cxviii, cxix", e. 18).
Exomologesis, and reconciliation of penitents: letter of Pope Innocent I to Decentius of Gubbio, testifies that in Rome it was customary "quinta feria Pascha" to absolve penitents from their mortal and venial sins, except in cases of serious illness which kept them away from church (Labbe, "Concilia" II, col. 1247; St. Ambrose, "Ep. xxxiii ad Marcellinam"). The penitents heard the Missa pro reconciliatione paenitentium, and absolution was given them before the offertory. The "Sacramentary" of Pope Gelasius contains an Ordo agentibus publicam poenitentiam (Muratori, "Liturgia romana vetus", I, 548-551).
Olei exorcizati confectio. In the fifth century the custom was established of consecrating on Holy Thursday all the chrism necessary for the anointing of the newly baptized. The "Comes Hieronymi", the Gregorian and Gelasian sacramentaries and the "Missa ambrosiana" of Pamelius, all agree upon the confection of the chrism on that day, as does also the "Ordo romanus I".
Anniversarium Eucharistiae. The nocturnal celebration and the double oblation early became the object of increasing disfavour, until in 692 the Council of Trullo promulgated a formal prohibition. The Eucharistic celebration then took place in the morning, and the bishop reserved a part of the sacred species for the communion of the morrow, Missa praesanctificatorum (Muratori, "Liturg. rom. Vetus", II, 993).
Other observances. On Holy Thursday the ringing of bells ceases, the altar is stripped after vespers, and the night office is celebrated under the name of Tenebræ.
The feast of Maundy (or Holy) Thursday solemnly commemorates the institution of the Eucharist and is the oldest of the observances peculiar to Holy Week. In Rome various accessory ceremonies were early added to this commemoration, namely the consecration of the holy oils and the reconciliation of penitents, ceremonies obviously practical in character and readily explained by the proximity of the Christian Easter and the necessity of preparing for it. Holy Thursday could not but be a day of liturgical reunion since, in the cycle of movable feasts, it brings around the anniversary of the institution of the Liturgy. On that day, whilst the preparation of candidates was being completed, the Church celebrated the Missa chrismalis of which we have already described the rite (see HOLY OILS) and, moreover, proceeded to the reconciliation of penitents. In Rome everything was carried on in daylight, whereas in Africa on Holy Thursday the Eucharist was celebrated after the evening meal, in view of more exact conformity with the circumstances of the Last Supper. Canon 24 of the Council of Carthage dispenses the faithful from fast before communion on Holy Thursday, because, on that day, it was customary take a bath, and the bath and fast were considered incompatible. St. Augustine, too, speaks of this custom (Ep. cxviii ad Januarium, n. 7); he even says that as certain persons did not fast on that day, the oblation was made twice, morning and evening, and in this way those who did not observe the fast could partake of the Eucharist after the morning meal, whilst those who fasted awaited the evening repast.
Holy Thursday was taken up with a succession of ceremonies of a joyful character. the baptism of neophytes, the reconciliation of penitents, the consecration of the holy oils, the washing of the feet, and commemoration of the Blessed Eucharist, and because of all these ceremonies, the day received different names, all of which allude to one or another of solemnities.
Redditio symboli was so called because, before being admitted to baptism, the catechumens had to recite the creed from memory, either in the presence of the bishop or his representative.
Pedilavium (washing of the feet), traces of which are found in the most ancient rites, occurred in many churches on Holy Thursday, the capitilavium (washing of the head) having taken place on Palm Sunday (St. Augustine, "Ep. cxviii, cxix", e. 18).
Exomologesis, and reconciliation of penitents: letter of Pope Innocent I to Decentius of Gubbio, testifies that in Rome it was customary "quinta feria Pascha" to absolve penitents from their mortal and venial sins, except in cases of serious illness which kept them away from church (Labbe, "Concilia" II, col. 1247; St. Ambrose, "Ep. xxxiii ad Marcellinam"). The penitents heard the Missa pro reconciliatione paenitentium, and absolution was given them before the offertory. The "Sacramentary" of Pope Gelasius contains an Ordo agentibus publicam poenitentiam (Muratori, "Liturgia romana vetus", I, 548-551).
Olei exorcizati confectio. In the fifth century the custom was established of consecrating on Holy Thursday all the chrism necessary for the anointing of the newly baptized. The "Comes Hieronymi", the Gregorian and Gelasian sacramentaries and the "Missa ambrosiana" of Pamelius, all agree upon the confection of the chrism on that day, as does also the "Ordo romanus I".
Anniversarium Eucharistiae. The nocturnal celebration and the double oblation early became the object of increasing disfavour, until in 692 the Council of Trullo promulgated a formal prohibition. The Eucharistic celebration then took place in the morning, and the bishop reserved a part of the sacred species for the communion of the morrow, Missa praesanctificatorum (Muratori, "Liturg. rom. Vetus", II, 993).
Other observances. On Holy Thursday the ringing of bells ceases, the altar is stripped after vespers, and the night office is celebrated under the name of Tenebræ.
What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
2. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.
3. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he'll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there.
Monday, April 02, 2007
The monk who sold his ferrari
This is an interesting story.
It is a story of a lawyer who appears to have it all - the corner office, the life style, the cars, women, ...
Then he gives it all up and tours the East. While there he comes across this strange monk and monastery. He comes to live life in a much different way.
Yet he is challenged by the monk who has trained him to go back home and share the message he has learnt, with the West. Julian, our main character, returns to his old law firm and to his prot?g? John.
He tells him a parable; then the rest of the book explains the parable and how it relates to different aspects of our lives. The parable is rather simple and a little strange but as it is explained you will never forget it.
Read it to find out how a garden, lighthouse, sumo wrestler, pink wire cable, stopwatch, roses and a winding path of diamonds are symbols of timeless principles and virtues by which to live your life. This book could help raise the quality of your life to a new level.
It is a story of a lawyer who appears to have it all - the corner office, the life style, the cars, women, ...
Then he gives it all up and tours the East. While there he comes across this strange monk and monastery. He comes to live life in a much different way.
Yet he is challenged by the monk who has trained him to go back home and share the message he has learnt, with the West. Julian, our main character, returns to his old law firm and to his prot?g? John.
He tells him a parable; then the rest of the book explains the parable and how it relates to different aspects of our lives. The parable is rather simple and a little strange but as it is explained you will never forget it.
Read it to find out how a garden, lighthouse, sumo wrestler, pink wire cable, stopwatch, roses and a winding path of diamonds are symbols of timeless principles and virtues by which to live your life. This book could help raise the quality of your life to a new level.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
