I Had a Daddy

"I had a daddy, didn't I? He wasn't perfect and he certainly wasn't the one I'd dreamed he would have been, but I had one all the same. And I'd loved him as much as I'd hated him, hadn't I? All that distance, all that time wasted, but the fact that he'd inspired such passion in me meant something in itself. I can honestly say now that I think that's special. Screwed up and turned inside out, we were special, him and me, and I am so thankful that I can say that I had a daddy and that he mattered. All his faults and failures mean nothing to me now.” ~ Melodie Ramone, After Forever Ends

Happy Heavenly Birthday and Happy Father's Day, Daddy.

I remember you.

The Monster

"It sounds like the combination of water being poured into a glass," Miss Hawkline said, "A dog barking and the muttering of a drunk parrot. And very, very loud."   ~ Richard Brautigan

Tears

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not a mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition and of unspeakable love."  - Washington Irving

Erased from History

"I'm the girl who is lost in space, the girl who is disappearing always, forever fading away and receding farther and farther into the background. Just like the Cheshire cat, someday I will suddenly leave, but the artificial warmth of my smile, that phony, clownish curve, the kind you see on miserably sad people and villains in Disney movies, will remain behind as an ironic remnant. I am the girl you see in the photograph from some party someplace or some picnic in the park, the one who is in fact soon to be gone. When you look at the picture again, I want to assure you, I will no longer be there. I will be erased from history, like a traitor in the Soviet Union. Because with every day that goes by, I feel myself becoming more and more invisible..."  ~ Elizabeth Wurtzel

Write Your OWN Story

Endless Grief

"Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief." -C.S. Lewis

Blindfolds Provided: The Occupy Movement

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." -Abraham Lincoln

Yes, it's time for my High Horse. This won't be a short post; I researched well.

Until November 17, I knew nothing about the Occupy Movement except that it was in cities all over America, started with Occupy Wall Street, and was a messy protest. That's it.

Then I was caught in downtown Portland at the end of a small riot, and I found myself moved along with the glut of protestors who were chanting "We. Are. the 99%." I came face to face, toe to toe with police in full riot gear. Now I wanted to know more.

I was meeting my niece that night, so I asked her what it was all about. She told me about the traditional solid economy, through history, as being 80/20: 80% of the people had 20% of the money, and 20% of the people had 80% of the money. But now the division was 1/99.

Based on her explanation, the protests made no sense to me. Who is going to pay for cleaning up the parks, with their devastation and litter and human feces? Who is going to pay for the revenue loss of all the small privately owned shops in the Protest Zone, some of which had already been forced out of business? Who is going to pay for the additional police presence, the extra work of city officials? It certainly isn't going to be the 1%. It will be the taxpayers. It will be the 99%. Then my niece said something very wise: "If they want to make a stand and make a difference, they should do it without leaving a footprint. THAT would make an impact." It certainly would.

Later I thought, if the economy is so bad, how can thousands of the 99% take 2-3 months off work (so far) to protest? It isn't the 1% they're hurting.

So I began to research. And wow, were my eyes opened. The 99% don't have a clue of the origin or implications of their protests. Nor it's end design. I'm going to lay out my research next. Try to follow, because it is convoluted!

The original call to Occupy Wall Street was made in a blog post by a Canadian magazine called Adbusters. Adbusters is not-for-profit, anti-advertisement, anti-consumerism, and pro-environment. They have often been accused of being anti-capitalism and of antisemitism.

This is the original Adbusters post, dated July 13, 2011, that began the Occupy Wall Street movement. Their subtitle is "A shift in revolutionary tactics: are YOU ready for a Tahrir moment?" They called for 20,000 people to Occupy Wall Street on September 17, 2011. "The spirit of this fresh tactic...a fusion of Tahrir and the acampadas of Spain..."

The protest received additional attention when the internet group Anonymous encouraged followers to take part in the protests, calling protesters to "flood lower Manhattan, set up tents, kitchens, and Occupy Wall Street." They promoted the protest with a poster featuring a dancer atop Wall Street's iconic Charging Bull.

What is Anonymous? Anonymous is an internet hacking collective initiating active civil disobedience. They categorize themselves as hedonistic and uninhibited. A primary self-description will send chills down the backs of born-again Christians: "We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us."

Okay. What's a Tahrir moment?

Tahrir Square is a major public square in Cairo, Egypt. It was in Tahrir Square that the Egyptians revolted, on January 25, 2011, against then-president Hasni Mubarak. The protest, known as the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, lasted 18 days. In February, the Egyptian Armed Forces succeeded in removing Mubarak from office. Mubarak turned all his power over to the Egyptian Armed Forces. Just think about that for a minute.

Now let's go a step further. The "Tahrir moment" was a very small part of large movement known as the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring is a revolutionary wave in the Arab world that began in December of 2010. Per Wikipedia,  there have been revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt (Tahrir Square); a civil war in Libya resulting in the fall of its government; civil uprisings in Bahrain, Syria, and Yemen, the latter resulting in the resignation of Yemeni Prime Minister; major protests in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, and Oman; and minor protests in Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Western Sahara. Clashes at the borders of Israel (emphasis mine) in May 2011 were also inspired by the regional Arab Spring. Their major slogan is "The People want to bring down the regime." Reflect on this information for a moment.

Take note: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel addressed the Knesset during the Tahrir Square protest, saying that history would prove him right: the Arab Spring would result in an Islamic, anti-Western, anti-liberal, anti-Israeli and anti-democratic wave.

Next. What are the acampadas of Spain?

The word 'acampadas' simply means camping, but it's a reference to what is known as the 2011 Spanish Protests, the 15-M Movement, or the Indignants Movement. I won't go into great detail here, but it's a social economic protest about the high level of unemployment, and it is self-described as being inspired by the protests in Egypt and Tunisia (i.e., the Arab Spring).

Let's go back to Adbusters' original blog post for a minute. I read 7 very long pages of comments, dated from July 14 to July 29, 2011. Here are samples of the comments in chronological order. (Keep in mind that the original Adbusters post was made on July 13).

**"I suggest we demand the end of Capitalism, we all realize this is the over arching problem. If we are going to camp and demand change, why not demand real change. If we only demand change on a surface level we will be back where Egypt is now, again taking up the fight in Tahrir (liberty) square because their demand was not radical enough."

**" 'The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure.' THOMAS JEFFERSON, letter to William Stephens Smith, November 13, 1787."

**"Demand all new money be 'New Money.'"

**"I would suggest you use the advice given to Diogenes by the Oracle of Delphi: 'Falsify the Currency.'"

**"We either abolish the Federal Reserve and all its secrecy or we have done NOTHING."

**"... this pamphlet, created by Egyptian activists and entitled "How to Protest Intelligently" could provide a guide for our tactics and demands. Creating a similar document specific to this event is something we are working on."

**"Anything less than an anti-capitalist message is doomed to become a spectacle reminiscent of the new left of the 1960's."

**"...in Solidarity, please consider this a tactical request."

**" Solidarity alert, Comrade. Come on in!"

**" The Occupation Needs YOU!"

**"Expect us. Anonymous."

The comments included many calls for tactical assistance and references to Arab Spring through admirable mentions of Egypt and Tahrir Square. One comment, which was supported by others, was to drag the CEOs out into the streets, submit them to a trial by the people whereby they would be found guilty. (Can anyone say "French Revolution" and "guillotine"?).

(Photo property of KOIN Local 6, Portland, Oregon)

Now I want to talk about the Occupy Wall Street website. Their logo is a raised fist, and they describe themselves as follows: "Occupy Wall Street is a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring (emphasis mine) tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants. This #ows movement empowers real people to create real change from the bottom up. We want to see a general assembly in every backyard, on every street corner because we don't need Wall Street and we don't need politicians to build a better society. The only Solution is World Revolution."

The whole world? I thought this was just America. Naive, naive. Occupied:

Australia: Canberra, Wollongong, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, smaller towns around the country
Belgium: Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven.
Canada: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal
Colombia: Universities
Cyprus: Nicosia
France: Paris, Nantes, Lyon, Grenoble, Perpignan
Germany: Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg
Hong Kong
Israel: Tel Aviv
Italy: Rome
Malaysia: Dataran, Penang, Kelantan
Mexico: Mexico City
Mongolia
New Zealand: Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Pomare
Norway: Oslo, Bergen
Republic of Ireland: Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford, Letterkenny, Athlone
South Korea: Seoul
Switzerland: Zurich
United Kingdom: London, Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Brighton, Bath, Bradford, Cardiff, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle upon Tyne, Plymouth, Exeter, Norwich, Belfast, Glasgow, Leicester
United States: Here we go! State (yes, all 50!), then number of cities Occupied.
Arizona 6
Alaska 7
Arizona 6
Arkansas 4
California 56
Colorado 7
Connecticut 4
Delaware 1
Florida 15
Georgia 8
Hawaii 5
Idaho 4
Illinois 10
Indiana 8
Iowa 6
Kansas 5
Kentucky 6
Louisiana 3
Maine 4
Maryland 2
Massachusetts 13
Michigan 9
Minnesota 3
Mississippi 2
Missouri 5
Montana 6
Nebraska 2
Nevada 3
New Hampshire 2
New Jersey 6
New Mexico 5
Ney York 13
North Carolina 10
North Dakota 2
Ohio 10
Oklahoma 3
Oregon 9
Pennsylvania 13
Rhode Island 1
South Carolina 3
South Dakota 4
Tennessee 7
Texas 18
Utah 5
Vermont 3
Virginia 7
Washington 23
West Virginia 7
Wisconsin 3
Wyoming 3
Puerto Rico 1
Washington, D.C.

And of course, Spain and all the Arab countries mentioned above.

So, like little lemmings, we have allowed ourselves to be manipulated and ultimately duped by Adbusters (anti-capitalists and anti-semites), Anonymous (hedonists who describe themselves as "Legion"), and the Arab Spring (revolution of the Arab world).

And the Occupy Movement is global.

Christians, brush up on your knowledge of the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Antichrist, the Apocalypse, and the Second Coming of Christ to rule the Millennium. Tell your family and friends about the salvation of Jesus through His death, resurrection, and ascension.

And Christians, if you're not already on your knees in prayer, the time is now. The showdown between the children of Isaac and the children of Ishmael approaches.

Define Yourself

Coin Toss

Vanity

"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live." - Henry David Thoreau

Coco Agrees!

Which Will I Do?

Quoth the Raven...

but those days are long gone.

What I've Never Had

Power

First Responders & Clergy Unwelcome at Ground Zero

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of the terror that was 9/11. An entire day of memorial ceremonies has been planned at Ground Zero. And current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has stated that first responders are not welcome. Due to "space constraints."

I kept hearing the rumors. I even re-posted on Facebook. But I don't think I really believed it. So I went to my ever-present source of rumor validity: www.snopes.com

And it's true.

Quoting CNN, Snopes has written: "...It's a painful insult for many of the approximately 3000 men and women who risked their lives, limbs, and lungs on that monumental day, puncturing another hole in a still searing wound..."

Funny. Firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, nurses, and police officers, to name only some of the first responders, weren't invited on that Tuesday morning, 09/11/2001, either. But they rushed to the scene as others were rushing away, and due to their efforts, many people survived the attacks. And 411 of the first responders didn't. By all means, let's exclude them from the memorial services.

Spiritual leaders are also excluded, as they have been from every 9/11 anniversary commemoration. The mayor says these exclusions are "to focus on the families."

Yes, the families. But CNN reported on September 6 that many "9/11 families" were confused, appalled, irritated, and anxious because they still had not received an invitation. Family members have made numerous attempts calling the Office of the Mayor. Most of those calls have not been returned. Some families were told, "Don't worry, you'll get your invitation next week," but have yet to receive an invitation. With the enormous crowds, how do they get in without an invitation? How can they prove they're a "9/11 family?"

So it seems that the 10th Anniversary Commemoration of 09/11/2001 may only be a forum for the politicians.

Meanwhile, two blocks away, preparation for the construction of a mosque continues.

9/11 first responders, I remember you.

Note to Self

A Cage Without a Key

"That's the thing about depression: A human being can survive almost anything, as long as she sees the end in sight. But depression is so insidious, and it compounds daily, that it's impossible to ever see the end. The fog is like a cage without a key." - Elizabeth Wurtzel

Smaller Beside the Pond

"I had become so quiet and so small in the grass by the pond that I was barely noticeable, hardly there. I sat there watching their living room shining out of the dark beside the pond. It looked like a fairy-tale functioning happily in the post-World War II gothic of America before television crippled the imagination and turned people indoors and away from living out their own fantasies with dignity. Anyway, I just kept getting smaller and smaller beside the pond, more and more unnoticed in the darkening summer grass until I disappeared into the 32 years that have passed since then."

- Richard Brautigan (So the Wind Won't Blow It All Away)

Most People

"Most people are other people.

Their thoughts are someone else's opinions,

their lives a mimicry, 

their passions a quotation."

-Oscar Wilde