For one swallow does not make a summer, nor does one day; and so too one day, or a short time, does not make a man blessed and happy.

~ Aristotle

... am I the sky or a bird?

©2010 Robert Dodson


i was sitting here
and i had a thought
i have laid it out as clearly
as i could

it is seeking simple connection
from the speaking I
to those that have heard me...

as you go about your life
you must seek a balance
try to be less the entertained ...
and more the entertainer

as Waits once wrote,
i wanna know
am I the sky
or a bird?

settle your self
vanquish locally sourced vibrations
eminating from self
and listen within for the word

of all that is...
in inner clarity and calm heard,
i wanna know
am I the sky
or a bird?

Don't you want to know what "your government" has been up to?

Somehow transparency in the dealings of government just feels right... don't you think?


Please stop and consider the world we live in, what is actually the reality versus the "official" story? Don't you want to know?


peAce...
topbop!

our civilization iteration

First habitable planet outside solar system is found...

The current historical record we inhabit is one of several "civilization iterations" that have occured here on earth... We see in the anthropological record clear and irrefutable evidence for this...

Before this iteration ends, what lays in store?

http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&cf=all&ncl=dK6_jQcIHBisMQMo5rBVx0o2Lmn3M

peAce...
topbop!

listen to music by topbop!™

click to listen to music by topbop!™


peAce...
topbop!

U.S. House Passes Health Care Reform Bill....

220-215... What is next...?


peAce...
topbop!

American Government Upset War Reality Made Public...

The heartbreaking image of a dying U.S. marine that has reignited American divisions over the Afghan war...

It is a deeply disturbing image which depicts the grim reality of war - a fatally wounded U.S. soldier lies slumped in the mud as fellow marines desperately try to save him as his young life ebbs away.

But the release of the picture by a news agency in the U.S., which went against the wishes of the victim's family, has sparked a furious debate which has divided a nation.


The grim photograph shows Lance Corporal Joshua 'Bernie' Bernard, 21, shortly after he was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade during a Taliban ambush of his squad last month in Dahaneh, Afghanistan.

The U.S. defence secretary, Robert Gates, condemned the decision by the news agency Associated Press to publish the graphic photograph after Bernard was killed in Afghanistan.

In a scathing letter to Tom Curley, president and chief executive of the AP, Gates said the decision was 'appalling', saying it was a matter of 'judgment and common decency' not to publish the photo.

Gates wrote in the letter: 'I cannot imagine the pain and suffering Lance Corporal Bernard's death has caused his family.

'Why your organisation would purposely defy the family's wishes knowing full well that it will lead to yet more anguish is beyond me.

'Your lack of compassion and common sense in choosing to put this image of their maimed and stricken child on the front page of multiple newspapers is appalling.'

However, AP has defended the decision, which editors said they made only after careful review and sharing the pictures with the family.

The news agency said it decided 'to make public an image that conveys the grimness of war and the sacrifice of young men and women fighting it'.

Original AP Post: © www.washingtonpost.com

Read more here: © www.dailymail.co.uk

My sympathy and condolences to the Bernard family and friends on their tragic loss. Many years ago during the U.S. Civil War, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman said "War is Hell". Photos like this can help with the lesson of the words which the human race and America in particular need to reflect upon... At least let's be truthful about what is being done by us and done to us in our name.


Now...wouldn't peAce be a better choice?
topbop!

Capitalism is evil.

Capitalism is evil. That is the conclusion U.S. documentary maker Michael Moore comes to in his latest movie "Capitalism: A Love Story," which premieres at the Venice film festival Sunday.

Blending his trademark humor with tragic individual stories, archive footage and publicity stunts, the 55-year-old launches an all out attack on the capitalist system, arguing that it benefits the rich and condemns millions to poverty.

"Capitalism is an evil, and you cannot regulate evil," the two-hour movie concludes.

( © reuters.com)

Read more on Moores film....


peAce...
topbop!

topbop! on MySpace Music

music by topbop!™ on MySpace Music

Sometimes a process takes time to unfold...The flame within...the flame of peAce...must burn ever brighter in our hearts. Those that die brought down by the killing machines, we mourn their loss. Is it necessary that they die this way now?

Poised at the brink of daybreak a ray of light leaps over the horizon to my eyes. It is you. My soul rushes to meet yours and we harmonize in the music of that moment and that moment alone...

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. - Philip K. Dick

Saturday i had this thought... earth will survive, not looking as good for humankind... As we drove over the mountains that lie between northern Nevada and northern California we saw several wildfires burning along the roadside. Fire trucks were scurrying towards several of them, along the way passing up smaller conflagrations ... Reflecting upon this, it occurred to me that the impacts on humankind of our planet's natural forces are, after all, referred to as "acts of God"... Witness the trends... massive earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, disease epidemics, and yes, raging wildfires... The planet is a single, and in a very literal sense, a living organism. It, as an organism, will survive the onslaught of the human race's ignoble pollution and outright shameful destruction. She possess mechanisms that will ultimately work to cleanse it of the malady known as humankind... and we work with earth to hasten our own demise... Rise Rainbow Warriors!!! Rise!!! peAce... topbop!

...a gentleman (...at least that is Robert's intent, 100%) and warm-hearted friend...Sometimes a fool but always caring. Living and learning and loving it. What day is this and do you really care?





Shared via AddThis


peAce and BlessIngs...
topbop!

Negroni...

Gleefully reposted here for the sheer delight and pleasure of a close personal friend...

"Even with equal parts Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth, the bitterness of a Negroni firmly establishes the drink as a Campari-based cocktail. No one is undecided about a Negroni. This Italian big brother to the Americano and distant cousin to the martini is so bitter that its dissenters swear it should be stored in the medicine chest. Its fanatical adherents bask in its ruddy glow and tongue-tingling taste. Some contend that this classic cocktail dates back to Florence in the 1920s, when the flamboyant count—and noted tippler—Camillo Negroni asked for a splash of gin added to his Americano. Others say that the drink, mixed with vodka or gin, has been around as long as the Americano...."

Named a Negroni by the Campari company itself. Enjoy hon...

Narrative Quote: © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved


the Recipe...

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ounce gin


• 1 ounce sweet vermouth


• 1 ounce Campari


• Slice of orange

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour gin, vermouth, and Campari into a chilled Old Fashioned glass over ice; garnish with a slice of orange.

Variation:

Dry Negroni: Substitute dry vermouth for the sweet vermouth.

Recipe © Copyright Quirk Books

peAce...
topbop!

Obama's Rhetoric Is the Real "Catastrophe"?

President Barack Obama has turned fearmongering into an art form. He has repeatedly raised the specter of another Great Depression. First, he did so to win votes in the November election. He has done so again recently to sway congressional votes for his stimulus package.

read more | digg story

peAce...
topbop!

Signs of the Times?

Interesting times we live in.... Sometimes it would appear that a curious sequence of events is taking shape...first this miraculous crash landing, then this crash with a much less positive outcome, and then satellites collide, now subs. What will happen next???

In the series of unexpected events...perhaps peAce will break out?
topbop!

Condi Rice hits U.S. 'birth defect'...

"Black Americans were a founding population," she said. "Africans and Europeans came here and founded this country together — Europeans by choice and Africans in chains. That's not a very pretty reality of our founding."

Read the full article at www.washingtontimes.com ...


peAce...
topbop!

Words of Wisdom...

Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Do not set your goals by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you.

Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life would be meaningless.

Do not let your years slip through your fingers by living in the past, nor the future.
By living life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

Do not give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Do not be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.

Do not dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope; to be without hope is to be without purpose.

Do not run through life so fast that you forget not only where you have been, but also where you are going.
Life is not a race, but a journey, to be savored each step of the way.

Anon


above all, peAce...
topbop!

Alicia Keys: Unlocked :: Blender.com

In order to find herself, she had to leave the music industry, take a trip down the Nile and learn how to tear down the walls she spent most of her life building. Read all about here, Blender.com

peAce...
topbop!

read more | digg story

A Message to Senator McCain...

Senator McCain asked a question on a popular professional networking site, linkedin.com. His question was: "What is the biggest challenge America faces?"

I responded, and here is my answer:

message to Sen. McCain on linkedin: 4/11/2008

Sen. McCain, first, thanks for your service to our people and nation.

I believe that America's biggest challenge is the failure to engage in a constructive foreign policy, as opposed to a destructive foreign policy. This has created an economic drain that is clearly unsupportable, and frankly, made America less safe, rather than more safe. We need to change our attitude towards other countries, peoples, religions and thought perspectives, and embrace rather than seek to dominate and destroy them. The strength of our world is in its diversity, and the policy that America is engaged in is one of seeking to render all to follow our "democratic" style of government, which frankly we are still struggling to accomplish.

Another major problem is the faulty technology base we have fostered. Because there has been no holistic analysis of the impact of technology, pollution and depletion of non-renewables is wreaking havoc on the very fabric of the planet. So many species are going extinct and the ecosystem of the planet is in great peril. Like our foreign policy, the blind imposition of our will has run roughshod over the living organism that is the earth and these failed approaches will ultimately be our demise.

Health care is a huge issue. We have gotten that wrong as well. The third leading cause of death is the so-called "health care system" itself. Again the lack of a basic understanding that the human body is a self-correcting system and that provided proper nutrition, clean and natural water and a rational lifestyle, free of technology created pollution, health would naturally follow has led to an undernourished, over-medicated population that is doomed to grow ever sicker and more dependent of the system that is killing it. Cancer and heart disease are completely preventable and that is where the focus should be, not on curing them as those conditions are merely symptoms of the flawed approach to health followed in this country.

So the fundamental problem that America faces is lack of enlightened leadership and the flawed strategy of seeking dominance rather than cooperation, both with the peoples of this world, and the very planet itself.

With respect, Robert Dodson



add to that lack of ... peAce...
topbop!

Installing Love...

Installing Love...

Tech Support: Yes, how can I help you?

Customer: Well, after much consideration, I’ve decided to install Love. Can you guide me through the process?

Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I’m not very technical, but I think I’m ready. What do I do first?

Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?

Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are Running?

Tech Support: What programs are running?

Customer: Let’s see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and Resentment running right now.

Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?

Customer: I don’t Know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased. I loved this!

Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?

Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.

Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, ‘Error – Program not run on external components.’ What should I do?

Tech Support: Don’t worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.

Customer: So, what should I do?

Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.

Customer: Okay, done.

Tech Support: Now, copy them to the ‘My Heart’ directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?

Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before We hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.

Customer: Thank you.






peAce...
topbop!

Warriors of the Rainbow...

Hope!








"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."
-- Albert Einstein


Prophecy
"Warriors of the Rainbow"
There was an old lady, from the "Cree" tribe, named "Eyes of Fire", who prophesied that one day, because of the white mans' or Yo-ne-gis' greed, there would come a time, when the fish would die in the streams, the birds would fall from the air, the waters would be blackened, and the trees would no longer be, mankind as we would know it would all but cease to exist.

There would come a time when the "keepers of the legend, stories, culture rituals, and myths, and all the Ancient Tribal Customs" would be needed to restore us to health. They would be mankinds’ key to survival, they were the "Warriors of the Rainbow". There would come a day of awakening when all the peoples of all the tribes would form a New World of Justice, Peace, Freedom and recognition of the Great Spirit.

The "Warriors of the Rainbow" would spread these messages and teach all peoples of the Earth or "Elohi". They would teach them how to live the "Way of the Great Spirit". They would tell them of how the world today has turned away from the Great Spirit and that is why our Earth is "Sick".

The "Warriors of the Rainbow" would show the peoples that this "Ancient Being" (the Great Spirit), is full of love and understanding, and teach them how to make the "Earth or Elohi" beautiful again. These Warriors would give the people principles or rules to follow to make their path right with the world. These principles would be those of the Ancient Tribes. The Warriors of the Rainbow would teach the people of the ancient practices of Unity, Love and Understanding. They would teach of Harmony among people in all four comers of the Earth.

Like the Ancient Tribes, they would teach the peoples how to pray to the Great Spirit with love that flows like the beautiful mountain stream, and flows along the path to the ocean of life. Once again, they would be able to feel joy in solitude and in councils. They would be free of petty jealousies and love all mankind as their brothers, regardless of color, race or religion. They would feel happiness enter their hearts, and become as one with the entire human race. Their hearts would be pure and radiate warmth, understanding and respect for all mankind, Nature, and the Great Spirit. They would once again fill their minds, hearts, souls, and deeds with the purest of thoughts. They would seek the beauty of the Master of Life - the Great Spirit! They would find strength and beauty in prayer and the solitudes of life.

Their children would once again be able to run free and enjoy the treasures of Nature and Mother Earth. Free from the fears of toxins and destruction, wrought by the Yo-ne-gi and his practices of greed. The rivers would again run clear, the forests be abundant and beautiful, the animals and birds would be replenished. The powers of the plants and animals would again be respected and conservation of all that is beautiful would become a way of life.

The poor, sick and needy would be cared for by their brothers and sisters of the Earth. These practices would again become a part of their daily lives.

The leaders of the people would be chosen in the old way - not by their political party, or who could speak the loudest, boast the most, or by name calling or mud slinging, but by those whose actions spoke the loudest. Those who demonstrated their love, wisdom, and courage and those who showed that they could and did work for the good of all, would be chosen as the leaders or Chiefs. They would be chosen by their "quality" and not the amount of money they had obtained. Like the thoughtful and devoted "Ancient Chiefs", they would understand the people with love, and see that their young were educated with the love and wisdom of their surroundings. They would show them that miracles can be accomplished to heal this world of its ills, and restore it to health and beauty.

The tasks of these "Warriors of the Rainbow" are many and great. There will be terrifying mountains of ignorance to conquer and they shall find prejudice and hatred. They must be dedicated, unwavering in their strength, and strong of heart. They will find willing hearts and minds that will follow them on this road of returning "Mother Earth" to beauty and plenty - once more.

The day will come, it is not far away. The day that we shall see how we owe our very existence to the people of all tribes that have maintained their culture and heritage. Those that have kept the rituals, stories, legends, and myths alive. It will be with this knowledge, the knowledge that they have preserved, that we shall once again return to "harmony" with Nature, Mother Earth, and mankind. It will be with this knowledge that we shall find our "Key to our Survival".

This is the story of the "Warriors of the Rainbow" and this is my reason for protecting the culture, heritage, and knowledge of my ancestors. I know that the day "Eyes of Fire" spoke of - will come! I want my children and grandchildren to be prepared to accept this task.The task of being one of the........"Warriors of the Rainbow".

-- as related by Native American author and historian, Lelanie Fuller Stone "The Cherokee Lady".

-- above excerpt from here...

...read more here...


peAce...
topbop!

...test your word skills, feed the hungry...

Here is an interesting way to make a difference where everyone can participate.

Play a word game and get a right answer... rice will be donated to the hungry!

This novel approach to leveraging the power of the internet is organized by the World Food Program of the United Nations. You can feed the hungry beginning now.

Just click here --> http://freerice.com or on the logo above!


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

...some quotes from the press:

“What if just knowing what a word meant could help feed hungry people around the world? Well, at FreeRice it does . . . the totals have grown exponentially.”

- The Washington Post

“Web game provides rice for hungry . . . FreeRice went online in early October and has now raised 1 billion grains of rice [by November 9].”

- BBC News

“Addictive, yes. But . . . each correct answer results in the donation of rice to help feed the hungry around the globe. Perhaps that qualifies the game as a good addiction . . . one with redeeming qualities, something that’s, oh, didactic and edifying.”

- Kansas City Star

“People from all walks of life and from around the globe have written in to express their appreciation for the game . . . Secretaries admit to playing it during boring business meetings.”

- Christian Science Monitor

“Every grain of rice is essential in the fight against hunger . . . FreeRice really hits home how the Web can be harnessed to raise awareness and funds for the world’s number one emergency.”

- UN World Food Program

“A teacher of fourth and fifth graders on the Yurok Indian reservation in Klamath, CA, . . . emailed the WFP. ‘My students absolutely LOVE the free rice site. Almost daily they earn several thousand grains of rice!’ she wrote. ‘You cannot imagine the joy in my heart when I look out and see 25 kids doing vocabulary work and enjoying it.’”

- School Library Journal

“The Web site offers a greater gift, the gift of awareness about world hunger.”

- NPR National Public Radio

“Freerice.com is an international, viral sensation. Folks from Thailand to Germany and India are just as enthusiastic . . . improving thousands of lives, all with a simple, collective, click of a mouse.”

- CBS Evening News



...please, help the hungry...

peAce...
topbop!

"Red Fridays"

Someone sent this to me. I am not certain who originated this as it came to me without the original message. Let's appreciate those who volunteer to protect us. They do not choose the mission, they just seek to carry it out.


Will you give this to my Daddy?

Last week I was in Atlanta , Georgia attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer. I immediately turned around and witnessed one of the greatest acts of patriotism I have ever seen.

Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camos. As they began heading to their gate, everyone (well almost everyone) was abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.

When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and cheered for, it hit me. I'm not alone. I'm not the only red-blooded American who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.

Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal.

Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our service men and women, a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old, ran up to one of the male soldiers. He kneeled down and said "hi."

The little girl then asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her.

The young soldier, who didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.

The mother of the little girl, who said her daughter's name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter Courtney missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up.

When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second. Then one of the other servicemen pulled out a military-looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it.

After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, "I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you." He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying "your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon."

The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet, he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event.

As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding and looked around, there were very few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier in one last act of selflessness, turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek.

We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families and thank God for them and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's good to be an American.

RED FRIDAYS ----- Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority". We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers.

We are not organized, boisterous or over-bearing. We get no liberal media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions. Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops.

Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that.. Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.

If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever; certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is...We need your support and your prayers.

Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example; and wear something red every Friday.

IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON.
IF YOU COULD CARE LESS THEN HIT THE DELETE BUTTON --- IT IS YOUR CHOICE.
WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE.
THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED---- SO WEAR RED! --- MAY GOD HELP AMERICA TO BECOME ONE NATION, UNDER GOD.

HAVE A GREAT DAY








peAce...
topbop!