cogitation_station

For millions of Americans, Secretariat was an inspiration. Why do you think his story gives us goosebumps? Do you have a memory of seeing or learning about the magic of Secretariat?

I've stopped blogging on any kind of regular basis. I shall write novels again.

TypePad Conversations » Answer this question!

Need a Good Book? Try "Winter's Tale" by Mark Helprin

Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale, published 1983 by Harcourt, Inc.--yes, 1983!--deserves the title Masterpiece. That's a word I rarely use.

In the 19th Century, Charles Dickens became, arguably, the reigning English language author in Literature. In the 20th and 21st Centuries, Helprin became our Dickens. Argue with me if you will; I stand by my statement. But this is not intended to be a review.

So much of Helprin's work is quotable and read-out-loud-please great that to pick one passage becomes a challenge of mammoth proportions. However, given our current state of government affairs here in the United States, his message in this particular book is too pertinent to dismiss. I've chosen a few paragraphs to quote this morning.

Peter Lake, the protagonist of the novel, tries to retrace his first experience of New York City twenty years earlier near the turn of the 20th Century. At that time, Peter Lake saw a very young child, dying, alone in the hallway of an abandoned tenement. The sight haunted him so that he has returned to the site to find out what happened to the child--so damaged that he cannot tell you if it were boy or girl. His search leads him to the morgue of the hospital in Printing House Square and the doctor who performs autopsies on the dead, the nameless unclaimed poor of New York City. It is the doctor who speaks here:

"...'Maybe you're from some reform group, and you've come to gather evidence.' He glanced at Peter Lake and concluded from his expression and appearance that he was not. 'They come down here to snap pictures. They get a thrill here--that's why they come. They take stupendous joy in the indignation and compassion they feel on account of these mangled stiffs; it's their roller coaster. I know this,' he said, making a tragic incision across the abdomen of an adolescent girl, 'and I'll tell you why. Since I'm here all the time and take apart fifty of these things a day, I can't feel for each and every one of them. I'm not God. I don't have that much in me. The ladies' aides and the social critics sense immediately that I couldn't give a goddamn about all this inedible meat, and that's just what they want. They know they're better than the miserable bastards they try to help, but they really enjoy thinking that they're better than the rest of us, who aren't as "compassionate" as they are.' He turned to Peter Lake again, and said, 'You notice how often that very word escapes their lips? They use it like a cudgel. Beware.'

"What he did next, as a matter of routine, made Peter Lake close his eyes in horror. But the doctor continued, his hands glistening, as if nothing had happened. 'They come down here for their own benefit. It's as clear as day that they love it. The great irony and perfect joke is that the wretches on the bottom of the barrel get these self-serving scum as champions. Some champions! They feed off the poor--first materially, and then in spirit. But they deserve each other in a way, because vice and stupidity were made to go together.

"'I know this, you see, because I was poor. But I rose like a rocket, and I know how the whole thing works. The ones who are always on your side, or so they think, are the ones who keep you down. Everything they do keeps you down. They'll forgive you for anything. Rob, rape, pillage, and kill, and they'll defend you to yourself. They understand all outrages, and all your failings and faults, too. Perfect! You can go on that way forever. What do they care? Excuse me: they do care. They want it that way.'

"He bent over to make a short cut, as thin as a hair, across the chest of the emaciated blond girl that he had just eviscerated. 'How would they make a living, these servants of the poor, if there were no poor?

"'What enabled me to rise above all the people who don't know enough to come in out of the rain is that one day I looked face to face at a man who hated half of everything I was and had the courage to tell me so. I remember his very words. He said, '"What you're doing is hideous--a perfect way to die young. Unless you want to live sweetly only in the hereafter, you ought to learn how to do the right thing."' The doctor stopped what he was doing, dropped his hand to his sides, and looked directly at Peter Lake. 'I hate the poor. Look what they do to themselves. How could you not hate them, unless you thought that they should be like this.'"

This is an excerpt--a minor one in view of the enormous scope of this 748-page novel--from Winter's Tale and an example of the social commentary both Helprin and Dickens write. But the book is not pedantic; far from it. The novel is a beautifully realized love story about New York, human beings and their various conditions and characters, a white horse, and infinity.

Characters are richly drawn as are descriptions which refuse to be skipped over and ignored. Discription as a word pales beside the richness of Helprin's similes, language, color, olfactory teases or assaults. He is incapable of imprecision, whether dialogue, action, description or characterization. His humor is subtle, but at times you find yourself laughing out loud.

I usually refrain from superlatives even when discussing superlative authors. There are many writers I admire and recommend. But I use the word "genius" sparingly; Mark Helprin is a story-telling genius. Fortunately for his readers, Winter's Tale is just one of many beautifully told and compelling works. I urge you to read Mark Helprin. His writing informs and invites our generation to change for the better; I hope his message does not go unheeded in this time of "change" for the much, much worse.

Did you realize that we're having earthquakes here in Oklahoma?

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/solzhenitsyn/harvard1978.html

This is an interesting address by a Nobel Prize winning author, when that Prize actually meant something.

Have you noticed how many oldies but goodies tactics are being used by our government? My favorites are "Never waste any crisis, no matter how small"; "infiltrate and pretend to be the opposition so that you can discredit them"--think Tea Party people who aren't. Spain, Germany, Russia, China must be so proud....

"Absolutely true" -- Pres. Obama nearly every time he speaks. Isn't this redundant? I've been thinking about this.... When did Truth become "partial", half-truth (oxymoron?), etc. What do you think?

I support Israel, and I'm not even Jewish. It would seem that is now an unpopular position--surprising in the extreme for a "Christian" nation. It's not so surprising if the US is no longer considered "Christian" by those in power. (For those who think Christianity is oppressive, think how tolerant we've been of late...).

The old "repeat as needed until you think I'm right" tactic flourishes in Washington, D.C. Those of us who will never think they're right get a bit frustrated. How many lies does it take to make a "credible" politician? Yes, I realize that credible politician is an oxymoron.

I used to wonder how someone could look me in the eyes and lie, knowing that I knew he was lying! I understand lying when you think you're fooling someone, but when you know you aren't? Does that make you a sociopath?

Why They Can't Understand

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I'm watching politicians who are trying to reach a meeting of the minds on something, I find myself screaming at the TV or tensing so I don't throw something at the tube.

Why? Because, as you probably already know, they cannot reach any kind of agreement or concensus because they haven't defined their terms. This seems a basic preliminary step to me, but 1) either they are unaware that differing definitions cause major communication problems, or 2) they know and don't care.

They posture, babble, and either quote from their favorite "hometown story," or cite well-researched facts and figures to colleagues who yawn and chat like high school students to their neighbors, oblivious to the C-Span cameras which catalog their disdain and lack of etiquette.

Yes, I'm talking about Thursday's televised presidential "health care summit." But Thursday's fiasco is no different from all the rest.

This "summit" purports a new and different approach in this administration--bipartisanship. Of course, as with all King Obama's court audiences,this one failed to achieve its goal.

Once more the American public watched, waiting for something to happen to change the dynamics in Washington. Nothing happened. Nothing that is unless you were listening to their actual words and watching their actions.

Once upon a time words had meanings. Most literate people knew them and shared a common vocabulary. Now lexicons of ideology have replaced the dictionary of the English language, and new set of professional politicians have replaced the "statesmen" of my youth. These place party above the people they were elected to represent and seemingly leave all independent thinking and ideas of service at the airport in Washington,D.C..

When did "public service" become "career politician"?

When did "reform" translate as "replacement"? When did "Republican" translate as "obstructionist" and "the party of no"?

When did "unconstitutional" become "constitutional" when practiced or proposed by the administration or his party?

When did "abortion" come to mean "choice"? When did "choices" become "rights"?

When did "health care coverage" for everyone become a "right"?

When did "human rights" trump "individual rights" and our Bill of Rights?

When did "President of the United States of America" become "the-person-who-is-much-smarter-than-you-("you" translates as "anyone who disagrees with POTUS")-and-who-will-try-to-defeat-you-at-any-cost-should-you-continue-in-your-ignorance"?

When did "summit" overtake "meeting" or "conference" as the preferred terminology? When did "transparent" replace the definitions of "opaque" and "secretive"?

"Arrogance" equals "tolerance". Once referred to as "disrepect," the "grin-and-call-you- by-your-first-name-in-a-national-forum" approach to peers is viewed as "acceptable" and "friendly" when practiced by POTUS.

The "exactitude" of basic math becomes "suspect" when applied to figures that contradict POTUS or his favorites among the courtiers.

"Federal budget" becomes "my money." The unpopular term "tax" dies and resurrects as "your fair share".

"Tax cuts" become "tax breaks for the very wealthy", as if only the wealthy benefit when tax rates fall.

The devil either no longer exists or shows himself as anything President Bush may have done since his birth.

"Christianity" is a bad word, as is "Christian". (Members of other religions are considered sacrosanct.)

"Tea Party" means "rednecks, radicals, and renegades assembled in one place."

"My administration" now means "anything-that-we-construe-as-good". Former "conservative administrations" are either defined as "precedents-for-actions-that-we-now-want-to-adopt-to-further-our-agenda" or "the roots of all evils."

"Talking points" is pejorative when used of the opposing party, but is used as "obvious factual statements" when practiced by your own.

"Threat" becomes the kinder, gentler "challenge."

When did "executive branch" branch out to include "legislative"? Can "judicial" be far behind? (I am reminded of the State of the Union address when the president rebuked the Supreme Court for their ruling in a particular case.)

The question arises: if this president has no regard for the electorate and no fear of the upcoming election, does he intend to do away with the 2010 election or influence it in some way? (I only raise this, because I have never seen such lack of regard for constituencies' wishes when an election is a few short months away. If I misunderstand,I'm sorry.)

I might ask, if I were the sort to ponder such things, which I'm not: When did "Obama" become synonymous with "leadership"? When did unelected cronies--many of whom are known radicals--reach the status of "czars"?

When did our soldiers and intelligence-gathering communities become enemies? (Perhaps it is that their name highlights the absence of any "intelligence" worth gathering in the halls of the current federal government?)

When did this "republic" short-change its people and replace it with whatever it is now. Whatever it is now, it is most certainly NOT acting or speaking as a republic.

When people speak different languages and use the same words to mean opposite things, can any truth or public good be reached? Of course not!

When one group convinces itself that all other groups are wrong and unqualified to lead, then no idea, no action on the part of those lying outside that group can or will be viewed as positive or constructive.

And so it proved.

No movement happened in either direction: the conservatives presented their ideas and objections to the current bills under consideration. The liberal spokespeople countered with their usual "everyone-but-Republicans-want-this" statements coupled with their assertions that if they could just get their bill/bills signed into law, then the deficit would disappear and everyone in America would have health care comparable to the plans the Congress and President enjoy.

(My only problem with this last point is that no one in the Washington power group wants to trade their health care programs for the so-called "reform" health care! I wonder why if their ideas are so great?)

Obama played to the cameras, attempted to look both engaged and engaging, and interjected his own opinions. When lunchtime approached, King Obama chided those with whom he disagreed that they were taking too much time with their remarks. (I suppose he was hungry.)

Though obsessed with time-keeping, Obama failed to notice that his own remarks took more time than was given to either party for the entire meeting. (Thank God that Obama refrains from hosting the Oscars!)

Of course being King Obama, this "summit" finished with a not-so-veiled threat, sorry, "challenge" that the House and Senate would simply pass health care without opposition support.

This measure of the elected few over-riding the wishes of the electorate many is called "reconciliation"--a misnomer if ever there was one.

So ended the bipartisan spirit of this meeting and, perhaps, of this era, which leads me to ask one final question: When did "black" become "white"?

Tidings of Christmas

Forgive me for being so long in posting, but I'm back now, and I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas! (I know; it's not PC, but I don't care.)

I thought I'd talk a bit about Christ's birth, so if you don't want to read further, it's time to stop--fair warning. (I've been reading a lot of English (literally) literature lately, so if I slip into UK spelling,forgive me.)

Some of you will know that December 25 is an arbitrary date picked by early Church fathers to soothe those disgruntled new Christians whose winter soltice celebrations had been curtailed. Many of the practices and symbols from that earlier time remain, adapted to fit the Christian festivities.

(It would appear that actual facts were exchanged for expediency much earlier than many think, and not only those pertaining to Christianity. I believe this practice began shortly after Adam and Eve's Fall and expulsion from Eden, but there are those who believe lying to please various groups is a relatively new wrinkle.)

One fact has not changed: Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Christ, in a manger in Bethlehem (as prophesied) during the reign of Caesar Augustus.

The Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, had decreed that a census be taken "on all the inhabited earth"--that Caesar Augustus was emperor of said inhabited earth remains in dispute, but have you ever known a politician who did not exaggerate or seek as much power as possible during his tenure?

Mary was engaged to Joseph before she found out she was pregnant. (Oops!)

No, they did not "know" each other in the biblical sense, and Joseph had had a problem at first with Mary's obvious pregnancy--who wouldn't? But "an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." Matt: 1:20

(This must have been some kind of dream! I can't imagine any male, who actually believed his fiance was carrying another man's child, changing his mind about marrying her, because of some fuzzy "dream" or the girl's story that she was still a vergin! Can you? By-the-way,the actual procedure Joseph had contemplated to rid himself of Mary was "divorce," because engagement entailed contractual obligations back then.) But, because of what he'd learned in the dream,Joseph married Mary, but didn't touch her until after Jesus was born. ( Matt. 1:25). After that they had several more children together. (John 7: 3-5, etc.)

Anyway, during this time Herod was king in Jerusalem and Quirinius was governor of Syria--more facts that you can check. Since Joseph was of the line and city of the renowned King David, the newly married couple had to travel to Bethlehem, AKA "the City of David", because to register for this census, people (meaning males) had to travel to the city of their forebears, thus encurring the first Christmas travel bottle-neck. We know it was crowded, because when Joseph and Mary finally reached their destination, there was no room for them in the inn--presumably the only one--,and they were forced to take refuge in a stable.

So take note of their predicaments when you complain about inferior accommodations during the holidays and the discomfort of traveling home by air, car, or other mass transportation. I tell you, it could be much worse! You could be nine months pregnant, traveling on a donkey, from Nazereth to Judea to Bethlehem, all because of the government, just to find that you 1) have no room, 2) are in labor with your first child while still a virgin, 3)have to give birth without hospital, doctor or midwife, 4) in a stable--a smelly stable filled with animals at that!--and 5) only the guy you're "married" to for help!

Then, of course, they had to entertain. Oh, yes.

That night an angel appeared to shepherds in the region, who were watching their flocks of sheep. After scaring them nearly out of their wits, the angel told them: "Do not be afraid"--a bit late, don't you think?--"for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." (Luke 2: 10-12.)

So, these shepherds, armed with directions but no GPS, said, "'Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.' And they came in haste"--of course they did!--"and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger."

Now all this happened within the span of a week! (Jesus was circumsized on the eighth day without...well, you can imagine.) Shortly afterwards, they're up and traveling to Jerusalem to present Jesus to the Lord in the temple. I'd like to see any newly married couple, with a new baby--even their own--deal with these kinds of things now!

With such a tough beginning, anyone might have second thoughts about Jesus being the Savior of the world. It just doesn't seem right, does it? That someone so kind and giving--literally laying down his life for us!--should have had such a rough life. But it seems that was the original plan, and many at the time recognized Him.

There was an old man named Simeon, who had been told by the Holy Spirit that he wouldn't die until he had seen the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem that day, Simeon took the baby into his arms, "...blessed God, and said: 'Now Lord, Thou dost let Thy bond-servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou has prepared in the presence of all peoples, '"A light of revelation to the Gentiles,"' and the glory of Thy people Israel.'" (Luke 2: 28-32). (I'm not at all certain that Simeon spoke these words in King James' English, but since that translation was published,it seems that quite a few people who really shouldn't,do.)

Then there were the magi who traveled a very long way--by camel no less...talk about uncomfortable! Even the evil King Herod of Judea knew that the time was close for the Messiah to be born, and so he thought he'd learn more from these wise men from the East.

Milking them for all the information he could get, he found out that they had been following a strange star--astrology was big back then, even more than it is today--which they believed to be the star signifying the King of the Jews.

Another king seemed problematic to Herod. When the magi didn't return--an angel of the Lord had warned them--he got everyone to work on the timing and place and killed all the male children, two years old and younger, who were in Bethlehem and the surrounding area.

In the meantime, the magi had found Jesus, worshipped Him, left gifts, and traveled back home by another route. When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to take Jesus and Mary and flee to Egypt, which they did. When Herod died,an angel of the Lord appeared again to Joseph and told him to return to Israel, then another angel came and told Joseph to move to Galilee. Then another angel told him to move again to Nazareth, all of which he did. (Angels are busy! They don't sit around on fluffy clouds all day, playing harps!)

And so the controversy began: Who is this Jesus?

There are many who will say that he is simply another prophet or worse--nothing new there! Many will say that since the dates are wrong, the events described did not happen, or because of myriad translations from the original Hebrew and Greek, the account is flawed. (Some, obviously Hebrew pre-King James characters, even seem to spout perfect King James English!)

I say: Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, our Savior, our Lord, Who now sits at the right hand of God the Father, and is no longer a baby! Jesus is God the Son, who came "for the salvation of the whole world, and not for ours only." (John 3:16 ff)

Since I believe this, I can wish you and yours a VERY MERRY AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS! (And it doesn't matter one whit when you celebrate His birth, only that you celebrate it.)

How Much of Our Moral Values Are We Willing To Relinguish?

I looked at my title and wondered if anyone would understand the terms. "Moral values"...the term has become a joke during my lifetime, although the philosophy promoting the demise has been going on for centuries, just as "Christianity" has become a punch line.

When there are no absolutes--only "situation ethics"--the people perish. If you don't believe me, just look around. There is no area of your life which is not affected. You are told what to think; you are told what is and isn't "acceptable"--but not to worry, those things that are "acceptable" today will change tomorrow.

Have you paid attention to the ads lately? I know you've seen them, but did you pay attention? There are two which really get to me: The first is the one where everyone is buying something with a credit card and everything is going smoothly until someone wants to write a check or (gasp!) pay cash for a product, disrupting everything. The second is the one which in ALL CAPS announces that PEOPLE ARE SMART. Really? Then why does it have to be announced? The fact is that most people, whatever their brain power, are sheep, easily flattered by such ads, and typically will file in line to buy whatever product has given them the benefit of a brain.

PLEASE!

An Open Letter to President Obama

I am not in the habit of writing open letters to anyone. But, in light of today's press conference, I thought you deserved special treatment.

I am appalled at your continued willingness to entertain as honored guests an Iranian regime which has proven to be violent, corrupt, and suspect in every area from human rights to voting practices. That you are "disturbed" by images of an Iranian girl is disturbing, because as I watched you deliver your words, your demeanor contradicted them. You did not act as a man disturbed by killing of innocents in this protest of Iran's people against a sham election results. (Paper ballots in the millions counted, and the winner declared, before the election was completed? I don't think so, and neither do the people who believe--I think rightly so--that their votes were not counted.)

Instead after using the word "condemn," you continued to hold out Fourth of July hot dogs to Iran's current regime.

While Britain expels Iranian ambassadors, we ask Iran's bloody leadership to a picnic at the White House. In this, you again slap our allies, while giving aid and comfort to our enemies, all in the name of creating a "path to peace"--peace at any price, Mr. President? That policy has never worked in the entirety of history, except to enslave those desiring that kind of "peace."

Would you have entertained China after the horrors of Tianamen Square? Given your present track record, I'm afraid I would say you would have. As it is, you've enslaved our people, by means of massive endebtedness, to China, Japan, and others. You would have us owned by countries whose interests and philosophies differ greatly from our own. And you and the Democratic Congress did this WITHOUT the permission of the American people, to whom you answer, Mr. President.

You are a servant of the People, Mr. President, not an absolute monarch. The Congress would do well to remember that they also serve the people who elected them, not you, nor anyone else. The Supreme Court serves to protect the integrity of the United States Constitution, not to legislate it. But your administration has forgotten these things. You "order" the Congress to have this or that bill done and ready for you to sign by such-and-such date, as if the Executive Branch were the only branch of government that matters. Even with your "czars", AKA "courtiers", who answer only to you, you are still subject to the will of the people through the Congress, which is also answerable to the will of the people.

If our Representatives in the House and our Senators in the Senate are not allowed time to read, debate, and come up with right solutions to our manifold problems--many of your own making, Mr. President--then the blame falls to you, and you alone.

The "Bush Administration made me do it" argument fails to wash; YOU are responsible; YOU have reneged on your campaign promises.

And now the $250K limit for income taxation increases has fallen to $100K--quite a drop--and, speaking of taxes, you are also proposing taxes on tabacco, soft drinks, gasoline, even a VAT tax on top of the taxes already mentioned, not including the state income and sales taxes some of us are required to pay. So you make the poor, poorer; those who could give them jobs bankrupt; penalize those employers who offer great benefits; and take over companies when you have no clue how to run them.

Why? That is the great question.

Why would you kill so many golden geese and ruin any future chances of golden eggs? Class hatred? No, I don't think so. To make everyone equal with equal chances? No, I don't believe it for one second. Revenge? Nope. I think everyone reading this letter should ask themselves why a President of the United States--formerly the most powerful nation in the world--would intentionally weaken that nation and its institutions. Why, in the name of helping those who need help, would that President cause so many others, formerly not in need of help and able to give aid to others, to become taxed into poverty, regulated into bankruptcy, and punished for contributing to the welfare of the very ones he so vehemently states he wants to help? I'd love to hear your answer, Mr. President, not the answer for today, but the ANSWER.

You cut the military budget, while protesting that you are trying to protect America. You "honor" our soldiers by cutting their insurance, their equipment budget, and allowing some in your administration to "suggest" that returning veterans may be a danger to our population, while releasing terrorist detainees--some of whom do not wished to BE released--from GITMO and shutting down that facility which our nation needs. You've cut the missile defense budget and programs down to dangerous levels at a time when both North Korea and Iran pose significant neuclear missile threats to our very shores, not to include our allies, e.g. Israel. (By-the-way, even Israel issued a statement yesterday saying they'd be willing to work with a NEW government in Iran--a definite policy change,wouldn't you say? And yet, you hedge, hem and haw, and wait to see which side will win. Courage, Mr. President! It's a virtue in a leader of the FREE WORLD.)

And now you want a new Health Care Program, modeled on the failed and notoriously bad European systems, e.g., Canada and Great Britain. THEY hate their health care, and now you, with such "altruisitic motives," want to bring the dross into our system, not to fix what is wrong with our current free market system, but to replace the gold in it that now exists. So, we will have government committees privy to our private health needs and sitting in judgment over who will and won't be able to get the care they need. Putting all of our health care records on computers? Give me a break! How reckless is that? You are exposing every person in this nation to identity theft, hackers who could literally change records, perhaps resulting in anything from misdiagnoses to death. And let's not forget the ever-present problem of "my computer's down", "rebooting", "updating".... This is NOT a good idea, and it is an expensive one. Most doctors could not afford to implement this overhaul of their records and offices. I won't go into all that is wrong with your $10 trillion health care program, because YOU have not given us all of the details! Do you not know what they are, Mr. President? Or do you just not want our representatives and the People to know what they are before YOU force a vote.

And now the American people are awash in debt; American businesses are now controlled by the government; the financial sector is in turnmoil, and YOUR solutions have produced more unemployment, less opportunity for future employment, and more national debt that any other President since the inauguration of President Washington as the first President of these United States.

I'd love to hear your answer, Mr. President, not the answer for today, but the ANSWER. The repetition IS intentional. I'm waiting.

The Census Is Important: Obama's Trying to Change It

I have tried to warn people about the drastic appropriations of power that President Obama has garnered under the Executive Branch with his unprecedented use of the Executive Order.  I hope now you will do something!

The second nominee for Secretary of Commerce, Judd Gregg, withdrew his nomination for that office to return to his post as a leading Republican Senator.  This happened yesterday.  The reasons he left were basic ideological differences with the current administration over the stimulus bill and the national census.

The Census Bureau is under the provenance of the Commerce Department and controls such things as electoral votes (yes, those things that determine Presidents), appropriations, the number of Representatives in the House, and if skewed, even the party make up of those representatives.  Under the Commerce Department how these numbers are arrived at must be made public record.

What President Obama is attempting to do, and one of the reasons Sen. Gregg left, is to bring the Census under Rahm Emmanuel, his White House Chief of Staff, where NO TRANSPARENCY is required.

Instead of actual head-counting of every person in the United States, computer "sampling" can be used.  But the truth of the matter is the American public will have no way of knowing how their numbers are arrived at, virtually guaranteeing corruption at best, and rigging elections and the other matters determined by the census numbers at worst.

To put it simply, the President is not acting like the President of the United States, who controls the Executive Branch of government, but who does not control the other two branches, the Congress and the Supreme Court.   He is wielding the Executive Order as a formidable sword of Royal Decree, and he is doing it to disrupt the balance of power. 

If we allow this to continue, King Obama will have effectively changed (oh, yes, he did promise change) our republic into a kingdom of socialism, communism, or an absolute monarchy.

With the Democrats holding the majorities in both the House and Senate, the Republicans and Independents can do only so much without the support of principled and courageous members from the other side of the aisle, who serve the Constitution of the United States and their consciences before their pockets and political aspirations.  We NEED MEN AND WOMEN OF PRINCIPLE MORE THAN EVER.

Obama uses stick and carrot equally well:  threats that your political career will end if you do not go along with him are paired with promises of political clout and passage of favorite projects if you do, or so it would seem from his speeches and from the remarks of those who have crossed lines to support the insupportable.

As we have seen, many of those in Congress are more interested in their Pary and their pockets to stand up for what is RIGHT, or are too cowardly to vote no, when the bill in question is WRONG.  The corruption in Congress has been exposed and openly ignored.

Change is what you make of it.  So far, Obama has changed this country for the worse with more coming.  The Census is just the first of many--of course, we're not counting the so-called "stimulus" package, which is a travesty of obfuscation, taxation, and debt in the trillions of dollars.

TRANSPARENCY?  OBAMA HAS BANISHED IT FROM HIS (yes, HIS) WHITE HOUSE.  If we don't stop him now, there will be no chance to in 2010.  Why?  Because the manipulation of the Census will guarantee that he will win again.  Mark my words:  this is not a man who intends to lead and cooperate.  He intends to Rule!

Call your Congressmen and women; march on whatever government agencies you have; make your voices heard, before they are silenced....

President Obama Is Deceived: He Thinks He's An Absolute Monarch

I have never seen any President of the United States who has done more damage in his first month in office. President Obama believes the Executive Order constitutes a Royal Decree, and he has used it to garner power.

Did you know that Obama has now put the Census Bureau under his White House Chief Of Staff? (It was not widely reported.)

 Do you know that Acorn is getting money from the so-called "stimulus bill" just passed by two votes in the Senate? (You have to read the bill for yourself to believe what's in it. What's not? Stimulus.)

 Have you ever seen so many corrupt politicians in any cabinet? Proven tax-evaders, like Geithner,Secretary of the Treasury, now hold the purse strings. And what a purse it is! Trillions--yes, folks, trillions--of money is now in the hands of a man who refused or forgot or simply couldn't decipher the tax code (right) enough to pay his own taxes on "consulting fees." He did manage to take the reimbursement checks which the company provided to pay those taxes and put them into his own pocket, still without paying the taxes they were intended to pay.

 Then there are more--some who've resigned their nominations because their failures to pay taxes were even greater. Of course, there's Charles Rangel, a tax-evader of the First Stripe, who has yet to do anything to rectify his own problems with the IRS. But now, the IRS is under Geithner. Talk about putting the fox in charge of the hen house!

And who's at the top of all these nominations? King Obama. I suppose you can take the boy out of corrupt Illionois politics, but you can't take the corrupt politics out of the boy, er President or Monarch.

I'll say this for him--Obama, that is: he's crafty. He uses the Executive Order like a sharp sword.

 He says that his message is one of "hope" then everywhere delivers his messages of "catastrophe" if we don't ACT NOW, even if it's wrong! Then he blames it all on the Bush Administration.

 Unbelievable, but then there are many who are so blind that they will not see what is going on. His every word is music to their ears, instead of the sound of the needle ruining an old vinyl record as it makes its deep scratch. Like that needle, he moves swiftly, carving into the very fabric of our Constitution and leaving us with socialism. Yes, I said socialism, and I'm being kind to stop there.

Greed is a disease; power is fatal--to the one who wields it poorly as well as to the nation who is governed by him. It is not yet too late.

 But AMERICA WAKE UP! If you do not, when you do, you'll wake up to a country you do not recognize, did not want, but can't leave.

The Republicans put up a united front in the House; I hope and pray that they will do so again and that those enlightened Democrats and Independents will join them.

 In the Senate, three senators "let their side down," but more than that, they let our country down. And they did it knowingly. The two naive senators from Maine, Snowe and Collins, were easy prey it seems. But I expected more from Sen. Specter who is up for re-election in 2010.

Sen. Specter, you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain by taking a stand against this waste! As it stands now, your own state is calling for your head on a plate.

I also feel compelled to tell those Members of the Senate who prate about "constituents" that in matters like these, matters which affect every human being in this nation, constituency comprises the entire population of the US, not just the people in your state or district.

 I urge every elected official in state or federal posts to take heed and cast your votes for the right things, instead of for your own glory. Glory fades quickly.

 If I sound like I'm all doom and gloom...I am. I see no light here--just a bunch of cronyism and power-mad politicians eager to curry favor with the king.

What Are You Watching?

I have been watching very little television these days. How about you?

The reason? Hard to find programs that appeal to me. I loathe reality shows. Why? Because I see enough bickering and clawing for the top every day, and to watch more of it does not classify either as entertainment or newsworthy. OK, "American Idol" may have some redeeming social values for the contestants, namely exposure and possible fame. But I just tuned in this week to see the one of the best guys voted off by the "people." The contestant who was allowed to remain was in shock. Why did I even tune in? Because the shows that I normally watch during "American Idol" were not on or were in reruns.

"Survivor"--good grief. It's multiple dysfunction and greed. No, I won't watch it.

"The Greatest Race"--is that even the correct title? A gymkana gone bad.

Actually one of my favorite shows, "Studio 60 on Sunset Strip," takes this issue on without apologies and the new network hotshot calls them in "poor taste," suggests that they appeal to the lowest and worst common denominator in the demographics, and add nothing to culture, news, or the higher forms of entertainment. Of course, the other network execs are upset when this is said on air by the once head writer of the show--terminated immediately. But his replacements--hooray!--are committed to lifting the quality of the writing of their imaginary show, and in the process, they lift the discussion of what should and should not be the business of entertainment to a level I haven't seen since "West Wing," "House," "Nothing Sacred," "Northern Exposure," and for sheer fun and great writing, "Grey's Anatomy." The actors in this show shine brightly with few others in an otherwise smog-filled ether which represents today's airwaves.

"Gilmore Girls'" writing used to be some of the best and wittiest anywhere. I understand now that the network, in all its ignorance, wants to replace or change writers, so guess what Lauren Graham and the rest of the great cast are doing? You guessed it. So we will have to enjoy that show in reruns or buy the DVDs. The "new" show will lack viewers; at least I won't be watching it.

Then someone had a bright idea to spin off Kate Walsh's character from "Grey's Anatomy" into a new series. I didn't like her character in the first place, and from what I've gathered around the water cooler the new spin off will be "dead on arrival." Why can't you people learn not to muck around with a good thing?

"House" is wonderful. Hugh Laurie and the rest of the cast are superb, and every week, the show actually continues with a high standard of writing and medical and personal puzzles. PLEASE don't mess with this one.

"The Closer" follows suit as just a great show. Like "Grey's," "House," "Studio 60," and "Monk," it exhibits great writing and solid, well-rounded characters. I love great writing. But it seems I'm in the minority.

Who said "Never underestimate the stupidity of the American people?" I don't remember, but I surely don't.

Most American audiences--oh what the heck, most Americans period--seem to suffer from Drew Barrymore's memory problems in "Fifty First Dates." Talk about ADD!

And television reflects or projects and certainly exacerbates--I haven't quite decided which came first--this subtle amnesia. News--something as huge as 9/11--has to be retold, just so people in America don't forget what that date meant and means. Gee, guys, it's our Pearl Harbor. Why do people get so upset that our country responded in the same way we did to that foreign terrorist act with a declaration of war on terrorism?

Well, TV pundits don't help. Has anyone else noticed that journalists have put aside objectivity in reporting the news to telling us what we should think of the news they care to share with us?

Do you know how much news we actually are exposed to in the US, if we were to read all the big newspapers from cover to cover daily and watch the televised news? ONE PERCENT. That's right folks, and by and large it's the SAME one percent. Good grief.

Have people put their brains on some shelves so that others can do their thinking for them? Big Brother (and Sister) are not only watching, they are talking, and sadly most of us are listening....

Television is their primary tool.

So when you sit down at your TV and watch tonight, just try for a moment to think what messages underlie the gab and "plots." The messages that they're trying to sell and that you're buying without even looking at the large print, much less the small print at the bottom, are eating your souls.

Is the World Going to Hell in a Hand-basket?

(Sorry to have been absent for so long--selling CDs, we now have US and Canadian national distribution.)

Have any of you noticed the difference/similarity in certain aspects of our cultural and societal concerns, say to that of ancient Greece, Rome, and the once great Egyptian and Persian civilizations?

I've been struck by the plethora of occult themes, sex--though the subject has always been with us--has never been so prolific in every media outlet, even hard news, a tolerance to the point of apathetic numbness to things which would never have been mentioned a few years ago, to outright celebration of almost every abberation with which I can hope never to hear, see, or come into contact.

Nothing is sacred, not even the sacred.

Personal hygiene for both men and women is expored so graphically in TV commercials that I doubt anyone could be ignorant of E.D. or anything pertaining to a woman's reproductive cycle.

That MAN (or WOMAN) is in practice, if not in fact, his or her own god has been creeping into our collective psyches since Darwinian debates, but even those who profess to believe in God or some "Higher Being" acts as if they are their own HB.

I've seen--just on TV--the Nephilim (if you don't know who and what they are, look it up), mediums poke out of every nook and cranny, and reincarnation has taken the place of evolution as the next great theory which has no proof. The End of the World, discussed endlessly, has taken all forms but the right one, but no one really takes the possibility of a Christian Rapture or Christ's return seriously.

I've now experienced Wicca as a true religion. Freedom of religion has been taken out of the original context of protecting our citizens from state-imposed religion to an "anything goes" stance.

Critics of this slippery slope greased with apostasy and deciet are derided, labeled, and sometimes actually killed.

I thought I'd heard of every preposterous religion--I mean there are some out there which are really OUT THERE--but along comes Scientology, invented by L. Ron Hubbard, a former science fiction writer who declared that the way to really become rich was to invent a religion--a feat which he has evidently accomplished beyond even his imagined beyond. (Even the script of "Boston Legal" treated this with derision, and I must say, that's a huge step in the right--no puns intended--direction.)

P.T. Barnum said fools are born every minute, and I'd hate to been counted as one when the Lord Jesus Christ comes and says, "I never knew you." Chills overcome me with dread of being deceived by the current theologies buzzing in our atmosphere like so many flies, for I was once exactly in that sinking boat.

Look to history and the falls of the great empires. Note the parallels and search your own mind. I wouldn't dream of filling your heads full of evidence, since most are so certain their myths are fact, and they must find out for themselves.

I just hope it is not too late.

"Rockin' the Day Away" Nationally Released May 10, 2005

Color me floored! This is a tale of miracles and hope for all independent artists out there.

In 1998 I began writing children's music, because my first granddaughter liked me to sing her to sleep. After a while, I started writing them down, because I thought they had some merit, and my kids might like to have the music someday.

I had collaborated with two other people on a musical, and while they were in other states, a tape of one of the songs needed to be recorded for a person in the industry who indicated his interest.

That's when I found 25th Track Recording Studio and Walt Bowers - great guy and wonderful engineer and keyboardist. We recorded the song from the musical, and afterwards my husband asked Walt if he could buy 30 hours of studio time.

I thought Ed had lost his mind. I couldn't figure out what the 30 hours were for. It turned out, he wanted to record the baby songs I'd written.

In the interim, I had worked on four songs with my collaborators, and I asked them if they wanted in or not. They did.

Walt came over and heard all 10 songs, and said, "You don't have a demo; you have a CD."

And that's how it started. I already had a company, but ASCAP said I had to have another name for the label, and we were already at crunch time, so that's why the label is Pamela Kay Hawkins Publishing - not because I'm really vain.

I ran into a jeweler friend of mine who knew an artist, who was just getting started, and Kristen did the illustrations for the cover, and I came up with the idea of a coloring book with lyrics inside, so she did the line drawings for the children to color. Another friend of mine owned a performing arts school and complained of never having anything for her children to use for auditions, and that gave me the idea for the instrumental track for kids to use for auditions. (I've since been told that English as a Second Language - ESL - Teachers find it helpful for teaching purposes.)

Then I thought I had a deal with Barnes and Noble, and Ed informed me that the first run of 1,000 had been sold to a convenience store chain. (It turned out that neither deal was what I thought it was.) The female singer on the album, Meredith Easley, and I appeared on Tulsa's TV show "Six in the Morning." Barnes and Noble's store on 71st Street in Tulsa had a "CD Release Party" at which about 100 people showed up to hear Meredith, John Weller (you've probably seen John on "Boston Public"), and Tommy Crook - the only guitarist Chet Atkins bowed to -whose name is unfortunately misspelled on sites and the album credits - perform. We were on our way!

So I thought....

It turned out that Barnes and Noble meant I had a deal with one of their stores - not all of their stores. The deal Ed made turned out to be a PR disaster, through no fault of his. The convenience store chain has since filed for bankruptcy :-). But after trying to buy the album at all these mirage venues, people just gave up. Who could blame them?

Oh, and I had another run done, because I didn't want to let B & N down.

But then Peter Chipman of CapCan.com in Canada and Derek Silver of CDBaby.com came to my rescue, but of course there was no interest, because no one knew the album existed. Then CDBaby.com sold out and needed more stock, but had emailed the wrong person. So for six months they had no stock. I found out because I was going to cancel my account. Imagine my surprise, and theirs!

The great buying group Alliant had been excited about my album when it came out and was going to red-line it for the stores they represented, but then they went bankrupt. So...nothing. I was one person trying to sell one independent album to the world one store at a time. Very hard.

But you don't want to hear about the six years from then to now, do you? I didn't think so....

Cut to chase:

Last Thursday, that would be Oct. 6, 2005, I walked into Barnes & Noble to pick up a book I'd ordered and a DVD in the music department. The head of the music department, Chris, had been keeping my album alive for all these years. He had told his new head of "local artists" about the album and I'd met Seth, also a budding musician along with Chris, and he hadn't heard one of the songs from my CD. So we went to find the demo CD so he could listen. Nowhere. He was puzzled, because there was always a copy of my CD on top of the children's section for display purposes. There were no CDs. So he checked the backstock. Nada. Neither of us could believe we'd sold out, so I asked if the computer said anything.

Seth said: "You're a local artist. Local artists aren't in the computer." He went back to the search.

Finally he gave up and checked the computer: I was there! The album was there! I'd been red-lined!
He ran over to the kiosk where you can listen to the music? It was there! He liked it -really liked it! And then he said, "Look at this!" We looked: A note on the album said "Released May 10, 2005!"

I was so excited! I told some friends on www.Soflow.com, and in seconds the album, which was online on B & N was sold out and the picture went with it.

I called my distributor, Hapi Skratch Entertainment's Morris Beegle, and he said I'd been red-lined since May. (No one had said a word to me.) And that my album was now in Border's, Best Buy, Circuit City, Sam Goodys, and Amazon.com, besides Barnes & Noble. Shock is not the work for the state I was in.

After six years, as one salewoman at B&N said, "You're legit!"

I Googled "Pamela Kay Hawkins Rockin' the Day Away" and found not only the sites above, but a German site http://www.totalrecal/de/items/338.htm; another Megastore in Germany, England and Sweden who is carrying the album: english.megastore.se/template/next,Index.vm?@atid=10&page=9 (listed under Children/Tales). The megastore link with all the info just covers the German location.

I share this with you, not only to promote the CD which I still believe in, but to say to all of the independent producers and artists out there: "Don't give up! Miracles still happen!"

I also wanted to thank all of the people who believed in me and this album and have made this possible, Richard Bridge of Rainy Day Records, Chris Karasek of Barnes & Noble on 71st, Full Circle Bookstore in Oklahoma City, the other Barnes & Noble stores who took a chance and bought my albums, Peter Chipman of CapCan Distributors in Canada, Derek Sivers of CDBaby.com, Morris Beegle who gave me national distribution, and David Define of Alliance Entertainment, who got me red-lined! To all the companies who've since bought the album, like Best Buy, Borders, Circuit City, Sam Goody's, EBay and Amazon.com - THANK YOU ALL!

Pamela Kay Hawkins

P.S. I'm going to use the money and connections I hope to make (so far it's been a losing proposition) to help others who need a leg up, and to help get a workshopping gig for a musical that's been waiting a year longer than the CD.

PPS If they're out of stock, they can order more. I understand that orders can be filled within a week to 10 days at the outside. So please order from these wonderful people who've taken a chance on an unknown and made a dream possible. - Thank you to all my future customers!

And if you have comments, I'd love to hear from you!View this photo

My Take on Katrina

The "Wall Street Journal" ran a poll yesterday asking that question: Should New Orleans be rebuilt in its orginal location? The overwhelming answer was no.

I've been reluctant to begin a blog on New Orleans, mainly because I've such mixed feelings. I feel for those who have lost their homes and businesses, who are searching for loved ones, who have lost loved ones and everything thing else they held dear.

However, as unpopular as it may be to say this, I have heard too much griping, seen too much corruption within New Orleans and Louisianna, and have been appalled at the lack of understanding of what actually happened there.

Katrina hit Gulfport, Mississippi, and Biloxi. Orginally everyone thought New Orleans had dodged the bullet. So rescue efforts rightly centered on Biloxi, Pas Christien, and Gulfport. Then Lake Pontchartrain's levees, which should have been fixed 15 years ago, and which could not have been made to withstand Katrina's storm surge and wind in the time so many have touted, broke: "We knew one year ago that the levees wouldn't hold, if this happened."

Well, sorry, but you knew 25 years ago and did nothing. The Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers said, "This is a non-partisan problem, covering many presidencies. There was nothing President Bush could have done in the entire time he's been in office to stop this thing from happening."

Yet, we hear how the federal government failed us and the people of the Gulf Coast. We hear how Ivan and Dennis and Frances were on the recovery track as soon as the storm moved.

Well, people, you could get to those cities. The roads were intact. Not so in New Orleans.

It had flooded, as predicted in worse case scenarios. I-10 was gone in some places; bridges were gone. The airport was closed until they opened one runway used for aid coming in.

Helicopters and their crews risked their lives, being shot at occasionally, dodging downed electrical wires, polluted water, flying 24/7 to help people. The National Guard was dispatched, and I'm sorry, but it takes a while to train those people to handle this kind of disaster and move them, and they can't be called out and moved into a state without its permission. So it took a few days.

New Orleans had buses which could have been used to transport the poor and disabled out before the storm struck. They chose to let them sit in a place which they knew could be compromised by a storm of this magnitude. Buses which are now underwater. So other buses from other states had to be found, and coordinated, and places in other states had to be found to house the refugees.

The Red Cross, several private charitable organizations began immediately and were stymied because they could not get to New Orleans.

People in New Orleans shot at rescuers in a truck who were trying to help those in hospitals - children. And the doctors inside, whose morgue was in the basement and flooded, wondered where the rescuers were and why people were not helping.

Meanwhile, three navy ships were sent to the Gulf to help with rescue efforts, a hospital ship was sent; the Coast Guard was called in, and all I heard was how the federal government was to blame.

Really?

Did the federal goverment cause Katrina? Did it cause the continuing warnings of 25 years ago to go unheeded just in President's Bush's term? Did the people of New Orleans think they were exempt?

To rebuild New Orleans in the same disastrous place is foolhardy. "But we want the 'Big Easy' back!" Well, people, the 'Big Easy' isn't easy anymore. The wetlands which should never have been drained are back. The Mississippi River has been ruined by years of mismanagement.

You will never have New Orleans as it was back again.

If people are smart, they will try to move the spirit of the place, the salvageable architecture of the place, to somewhere else on higher ground.

I have hesitated to give money. I watched what happened to the money sent to the victims of the Tsunami. I'm waiting to see what and where it's needed and who needs it most.

People I know; people who need new jobs, a new start.

Did we really think that we could stop natural disasters?

I live in Oklahoma. Ask anyone here if they could stop tornadoes.

Ask the people in the paths of flash floods, mudslides, earthquakes. The best thing you can do, especially when you have as much warning as people in the paths of hurricanes do, instead of the minutes or seconds warning that we have with these other disasters, is to get out of their way, which is sometimes impossible, or hold on in the safest place you can find and hope you live through it.

This hubris reminds me of Xerxes, who had his soldiers whip the Hellespont because it broke his bridge to the Greeks. He was insane. And the Hellespont just kept on flowing, just like the Mississippi.

Am I angry? You bet I am.

Compassion is overflowing in America, and some of the most vocal people are ranting that they haven't gotten enough; they haven't been given enough; everyone's to blame but the people who neglected to protect New Orleans in the first place.

You have your lives. Many lost theirs. And you're shooting at, and ranting against the very people who've come to help you, one of whom is my 21-year old niece who just got married two weeks ago.

Terrorism & Fear

Today is July 7, 2005, and the terrorists have hit London, just as the G 8 Conference in Gleneagle, Scotland was beginning. Why?

There is no why, unless you are as evil and mad as those who committed these acts and those in Madrid, New York, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. Of course, there are many more atrocities committed each day in other countries by people who say they do it for "God" or "Allah" or some "cause." But the truth is that they do it because, if not totally deceived, they are just evil.

Their purpose is to destroy and create FEAR wherever they attack. Fear.... Fear is the greatest enemy of mankind, for it keeps us from doing things we would otherwise do and enjoy.

Long ago, I made a vow to myself (and I know what real fear is) that if I feared a thing, I would not let it stop me, no matter what the consequences to myself.

September 11, 2001, caused the USA to fear to take planes without taking precautions which now border on subjugating our Rights, under the US Bill of Rights.

Fear robs us of action of enjoying the world God made for us to enjoy.

I don't fear death; I fear inaction when faced with someone who's intent on harming me or those around me. Lambs to the slaughter is far more terrifying to me than the wolf who attacks the flock.

I say: Do not let these People of the Lie and of Fear and of Death defeat you with their tactics. We are greater than Evil. Though Evil will sometimes win; it will not always win; and in the end, it will be defeated beyond its comprehension.

Londoners have faced worse than this during WWII; America has faced worse than this in the Revolutionary, French & Indian Wars, and in the horrendous Civil War which pitted brother against brother.

Make no mistake, this is a WAR. It is a war not against any country, but against the evil behind the terrorist attacks.

London is not the only one called to stand up and face fear: the entire world rises in rage and anger and courage and strength to fight this evil which threatens us on every hand.

So, be not afraid. Terrorists strike when and where no one thinks they will. How can you prepare? BE NOT AFRAID whatever may come, and when it comes, for it will, take your stand; hold your head high; and charge as one who has no fear. Whatever the outcome, you will have prevailed.