Lovelight October 2005

LOVELIGHT

magazine

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October 2005*** Vol. 2, no. 10

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Managing editors: Richard Shining Thunder Francis and Adamaria Francis

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Contributors to this issue: Cheri Cones, Chris Finer, Mick Gallagher, Tom Gustin, Diann Proffitt, Teresa Ramsey, Ty Scharrer, Karleen Sell, Geoffrey Stoermer, T.J. Vissing, and H. R. Wiggins

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KILL THE KOOKS: RELIGIOUS FANATIC SUGGESTS BLOODY STONING FOR UFO BELIEVERS, sent in by Mick Gallagher, from an article by Skipp Porteous

Source: Jeff Rense Sightings

Evangelist Pat Robertson suggested, and supported, the bloody, agonizing death by torture-stoning for UFO believers. He launched into a diatribe against those who believe in space aliens and UFO's. They are simply "demons," directing people away from "Christ." Robertson should know, as he has done so much of that same kind of misdirecting!
He also quoted Deuteronomy. "Here is what he [Jehovah] said:...'If there is found among you,... a man or a woman who... has gone and served other gods,... then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman... and stone to death that man or woman with stones.'" (Deuteronomy 17:2-5, NKJV)

"Can a demon appear as a slanty-eyed, funny-looking creature? Of course he can,... And if they can lead somebody away from... Jesus Christ,... you will lose your salvation...."

"God... says, 'If I find anybody in Israel that's doing this sort of thing,... take him out and dispose of him.'" This is the nightmarishly dangerous idea of literally "disposable" human beings!

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Skipp Porteous, Freedom Writer publisher, commented: "As the founder and chairman of the Christian Coalition -- a group dedicated to becoming the most powerful political force in America -- Robertson's extreme ideas need to be taken seriously, for they not only negate pluralism, but condemn to death those who dare to believe differently."

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Cast The First Stone, Pat?
A Rebuttal by James Neff

Source: Jeff Rense Sightings

Robertson spews his venom from a low place in the dirt, preying on the fear and ignorance of people.... In the name of Christ, Robertson advocates a dismissal of everything taught by Jesus, and opts for the heaving of stones.... Like McCarthy who came before him, Pat Robertson is a parasite who relies on preaching a condemnative suspicion of everyone outside of his narrow mindset.... Inasmuch as it is frightening to remember that this man ran for President and garnished a large block of voters, it is equally reassuring to realize that it was God's will that he not have his hateful finger on the nuclear trigger. Instead, "God" entrusted that to a man considered by most to be a philandering, adulterous liar.

Pat Robertson's comments offend me, as both a Christian and a human being. A man like Robertson understands all too well the effects of his voice,... When a man of his notoriety makes such visceral comments to millions,... one has to wonder about his ultimate agenda....

As a Christian, I am taught we... have no right to judge... (something Pat easily forgets).... I also... call for him to ask forgiveness from God and man. He brings reproach and shame upon the church of Jesus Christ with his depraved dictates. Any Christian with a heart after the Lord should abandon Robertson immediately. Cease listening to him, and pray for him. Something is terribly wrong in him.

The very idea of "stoning" ufo-enthusiasts... is utterly "anti-christian." Jesus said, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone," and left us with a clear mandate regarding such practices....

Christ came in mortal flesh and, as he read openly from the scroll of Isaiah at the beginning of his ministry, said plainly, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the GOOD NEWS to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives... to set at liberty them that are afflicted, and to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." This began the administration of a merciful outreach from the Creator of all things to mankind through Jesus Christ. Robertson has but one duty as an evangelist, and that is to preach the "good news," and to "proclaim the favorable year of the Lord," to ALL. To call for stoning is absolutely the height of madness. To even hint at it is blasphemous. What's next? Concentration camps? A "final solution" to the problem of non-Christians in Pat's twisted view of the world?

Pat Robertson... is a man violating the laws of God himself, openly, deviously, and seemingly attempting to spark heinous behavior from the weak and disturbed in his flock. He... desires to take "the kingdom by violence" (Mt. 11:12), here and now, by human agency and by political force.... He cannot wait for God's kingdom and righteousness to come in its own time, according to God's will. Robertson seeks to conduct the "justice of God" by his own fleshly medium and... will pass judgment upon those around him, even to the extreme of suggesting the death penalty for involvement in UFO interest! He reveals himself to be unworthy of the mantle he possesses as a leader... With these words, he reveals his inmost self, for "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34).

He does not speak for Christ, Christianity or the Church universal, mystical or organized. Christ said, "...A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruits." By this we have a means of understanding true quality, both spiritually and practically. The fruits of such words as Robertson's lead to nothing but division, factions, enmity, strife, anger, and resentment. Is it possible that Robertson desires his words to lead to violence? Is his aim to ignite discord and further shame the name of Christ and His true people? And these things, according to scripture, are not fruits of the Holy Spirit, but of the flesh. [They are] born is sin and activated in the very demonic evil Robertson claims is the sole profession of aliens from space. [But] Our worst enemy is here on earth, and is quite mortal. The Antichrist himself [is] mortal. The Apostle Paul taught, "Do not be surprised that Satan comes as an angel of light, or his ministers as ministers of righteousness."

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LOVELETTERS FROM FRIENDS, BUDS, AND PALS

Richard,

I want to thank you for making yourself available through the radio to

give life changing information to your loyal listeners over the last

few years. You have had an incredible impact on my life, which, of course,

trickles down through those lives around me. Normally I might say," you

can't imagine the impact you have had on so many lives", but I'm sure

you know exactly what kind of impact you have had.

Thank you from the depths of my soul, for the thoughts and ideas you

have drifted across the airwaves and [which] were so eagerly received by my

family and myself.

The first time I heard you and Ron, I knew you would change my life.

You have given so many insights into the worlds of religion and

humanity. What I used to think were truths, I now see as our fears fed

to us to keep us on the perceived straight and narrow ("narrow" being

the key word in that phrase).

I am grateful to WVXU for having the guts to put you on the air, and I

have told them that from time to time.

I am grateful for the team you and Ron were, as a voice on the radio.

... Your message [is] so relevant to my

life.

Back when you were on Sunday nights at 11:00pm, that hour went by like

a flash of lightning....

Life is so full of activity, it is not my life's mission to filter

through everything spiritual, although perhaps it should be. You have

been so helpful in putting the big picture together with regards to

religion and spirituality, that I have been able to make some decisions

about the big questions in life. Where else could someone go to get the

basics of Buddhism, Taoism, and being a Jehovah's Witness, put together

side by side. Usually your just getting one or the other shoved down

your throat....

Thank you. You have made a huge difference in my life.

T.J. Vissing

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From Karleen Sell

Dearest Richard,

Thank you! Thank you for reminding me not to internalize the evil and

stupidity that we encounter every day.

Thank you for reminding me to respond with positive words and actions, and to

keep to the single-pointedness of a spiritual life. No distractions from the

right! (Is that not what the b administration does every day? distract,

divide and brainwash (conquer).

Thank you for being. For being you, and reaching out to others and being able

to remind us of our focus always!

In reading through some of your books the other day at Larkin's I was

reminded of many things on the path.... Must keep to the positive future

possibilities while being aware of the dangers lurking in this everyday world.

Just answer me this - How in the heck can people "pseudo-think" in such an

irrational, illogical, and dangerous manner? This is really a form of mass

mental illness! Like Jonestown, the witch hunts, the Nazis. The mind can control

many functions of the brain and thus the body. It does not even seem possible

that ANY mind could be thinking and surviving in a world that does not

acknowledge the realities of nature. In a more primitive time, they would all have

died out long ago. Allowing that sabre toothed tigers were just "figments of

the imagination," and therefore not prone to hunger, there are no consequences to

not recognizing the reality of the situations of life!

This "group think" is something I have always shied away from. I used to

tell Larkin and Siri, "If everyone is doing it, chances are it is not a good

thing to do!" That pretty much eliminated the "but everyone else is ....."

approach to talking me into things. And [it] made them just a bit more cautious than

perhaps is best. That may have put them out of the loop and made them more serious

than young people should be, but, in light of this blatant intellectual

vacuum and danger, it just might keep them safe spiritually!

Keep it up - your thinking, your speaking out, your keeping me in line!

Love,

Karleen

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More from Karleen:

Was reading through your book about J W's. It went right to the heart of

what I have been thinking as I become more and more radical in my dislike (mild

statement) of organized religion. These "organized religions" do not guide

people to salvation or a realization of God or Jesus.... They totally

block the way by making the believer so dependent, stunting the spiritual growth

of a person so that salvation for them is impossible if they cannot break

away! By promising salvation and eternal life for a material price ( offerings)

these religions rob the believers of their attainment of enlightenment and

peace and joy.

...It is almost an intuitive repulsion and revulsion. There is joy in the work it takes to grow spiritually. Each step is new, exciting, and bursting with possibilities-- for belief, action, and further realizations. Spiritually, one expands

exponentially - exploding with ideas, information, and joy at these discoveries

and the feelings of inclusiveness with the Universe and the Powers that Be.

When one just accepts the words and beliefs of others, and suffers in the guilt

and fear that most organized religions dish out, one is not growing spiritually.

The "believer" knows deep down that he or she is not really connected to the

Force that swirls about, stirring up "power" throughout the Universe. But there

is a certain comfort in trying to believe that one will be "saved" if one believes

a certain way. But if God is love, God cannot be fear.

Wish I could express this more clearly.... A little

confidence in a little something can start someone on a true path of spiritual

growth. We need this desperately to combat the Insane and Irrational idea of

Intelligent Falling!...

Love,

Karleen

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From Diann Proffitt:

Dear Richard and Maria,
...I really look forward to our get togethers. It is wonderful to have friends over the years that consistently provide you with a warm welcome. I'm so glad you and Maria have been such good friends over the years. Your charm, warmth, style, and sense of humor have been such a blessing in my life. I'm so utterly joyful to be friends with both of you. Saturday will be another day to celebrate our true friendships. We always seem to do so with lots of belly laughs. Again, if anything changes, then you can reach me at my cell phone...

Love,
Diann

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TRAGIC NEWS FROM IRAQ, sent in by Mick Gallagher

Dear _____,

I received a call last night that my niece's husband was injured in Iraq.

He and another young man were patrolling a street and someone detonated an

IED near them. Both have lost a leg each. Their legs were amputated in

Germany.

As soon as they are stable they will be sent to Bethesda. But, I know how

that goes. My son waited two weeks for a flight to the states.... His name is Matt Schilling....

Please pray for them.

Why aren't these doctors complaining about all of these injuries? When

Matt signed up for the reserves, they told him that he would never be going to Iraq. After bootcamp he was shipped to Iraq. He was in Iraq a little over one month.

Well, I hope they send him to college free of charge now. Right!

This is too hard a lesson for a 21 year old to learn.

Anne

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RICH CRIMINALS, sent in by Cheri Cones

Can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 500 employees and has the following statistics:
* 29 have been accused of spousal abuse;*** 7 have been arrested for fraud;**
* 19 have been accused of writing bad checks;*** 117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses;***3 have done time for assault;***71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit;***14 have been arrested on drug-related charges;***8 have been arrested for shoplifting;***21 are currently defendants in lawsuits;***84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year. Can you guess which organization this is? It's the 535 members of the United States Congress. The same group that crank out hundreds of new laws each year designed to keep the rest of us in line.

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WHY DOGS DO NOT LIVE AS LONG AS PEOPLE, sent in by Teresa Ramsey

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owner, his wife, and their little boy were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family there were no miracles left for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, the owners told me they thought it would be good for the four-year-old boy to observe the procedure. They felt that he could learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. The little boy seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion.

We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. The little boy, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me! I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "Everybody is born so that they can learn how to live a good life-- like loving everybody and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, animals already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

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GASPS, COUGHS, SNORTS, CHUCKLES, AND MILK OUT THE NOSE: HUMORTHERAPY

KILLER LAWS, sent in by Ty Scharrer

Dear Dr Laura,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's law. I have learned a great deal from you, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind her that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors -- they claim the odor is not pleasing to them, and counter by burning patchouli incense and those damned Citronella candles all night long. I hate patchouli! How should I deal with this?

I would also like to sell my daughter into slavery, as it suggests in Exodus 21:7. After all, times are tight with these rising gasoline prices, and I seem to remember reading something about incest in the Bible; but I can't find the exact passage and I'm a little bit worried for myself right now. In this day and age, what would you estimate fair market value of my young daughter to be? I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense and I can never unwrap all those wads of toilet paper in the trash can so as to verify before they walk in on me and catch me in the act.

Leviticus 25:44 states that I may buy slaves from the nations that are around us but a friend of mine claims that this applies only to Mexicans and not Canadians. And what of all those island nations in the Caribbean? Beyond that, Russia is fairly close to Alaska and the Mail Order Bride business seems to be just fine by them. Can you clarify?

Also, I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself? In addition, if I was, and then chose to kill him on a Sunday, would this be considered work, and doom me to the same fate? Sunday is a pretty open day for me, and the neighborhood is pretty empty with all the Holy Rollers trying to buy their salvation by throwing money into a wooden plate.

What else? Oh yeah, a friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Have you ever witnessed the brutal killing of a shellfish? It's horrible! Can you settle this for me? Leviticus 21:18-21 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

I had hoped Jesus would have returned by now to cure all the problems of the world and though I've been looking for him on the evangelical healing tour in my area, I haven't seen his name come up yet. Those miracles of his are a hot commodity these days, I guess. Anyway, I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Sincerely, A Concerned Crusader

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I LOOKED AT YOU: A Poem by H. R. Wiggins

I looked at you and thought, "What am I doing here?”

The burning meat on the stove,

The pile of crumpled clothes,

Your lack of spiritual clarity,

Your fear and insecurity.

I looked at you,

And you smiled.

In your eyes I saw Delight.

I saw Acceptance.

I saw Kindness.

I looked at you and lightening struck.

I once knew you intimately,

When I lacked things,

Needed things.

“What am I doing here?”

The pinball thought rattled my brain.

But I knew:

I was once you,

Wanting nothing more than to be loved.

I walked up to you,

I took you into my arms,

I inhaled the bitter sweetness of your humanity,

And praised God.

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FOUR CORPORATE LESSONS, sent in by Geoffrey Stoermer

1. A man was getting into the shower just as his wife was finishing up her shower. The doorbell rang.

The wife quickly wrapped herself in a towel and ran downstairs. When she opened the door, there stood Bob, the next door neighbor.

Before she said a word, Bob said, "Ill give you $800 to drop that towel."

After thinking for a moment, the woman dropped her towel and stood naked in front of Bob. After a few seconds, Bob handed her $800 and left.

The woman wrapped back up in the towel, and went upstairs. When she got to the bathroom, her husband asked, "Who was that?"

"It was Bob, the next door neighbor," she replied.

"Great!" the husband said. "Did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?"
Moral of the story: If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you might be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.

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2. A priest offered a lift to a Nun. She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg. The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg.

The nun said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again.

The nun once again said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?"

The priest apologized "Sorry sister but the flesh is weak." Arriving at the convent, the nun went on her way. On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, "Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory."
Moral of the story: If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.

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3. A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out. The Genie says, "I'll give each of you just one wish."

"Me first! Me first!" says the administrative clerk. "I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world." Poof! She's gone.

"Me next! Me next!" says the sales rep. "I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life." Poof! He's gone.

"OK, you're up," the Genie says to the manager. The manager says, "I want those two back in the office after lunch."
Moral of the story: Always let your boss have the first say.

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4. A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A rabbit asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?"

The crow answered: "Sure, why not?" So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested.

A fox jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Moral of the story: To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very high up.

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The Ant and the Contact Lens: a true story , sent in by Teresa Ramsey

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. "Great", she thought. "Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top, and now my sight is blurry."

She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there. She felt the panic rising, so began praying. She prayed for calm, and that she could find her contact lens.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not there. Although she was calm now, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth."

She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff, they met another party of climbers, just starting up. One of them shouted, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?"

Well, that would be startling enough; but do you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!

The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You."
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God does not call the qualified; She qualifies the called.

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UNBELIEVABLY MIND-NUMBINGLY STUPID REMARKS ABOUT KATRINA, sent in by Chris Finer

Originally from Daniel Kurtzman,Your Guide to Political Humor

1) "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees." –President Bush, on "Good Morning America," Sept. 1, 2005, six days after repeated warnings from experts about the scope of damage expected from Hurricane Katrina.***2) "What I'm hearing which is sort of scary is that they all want to stay in Texas. Everybody is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway so this (chuckle) – this is working very well for them." –Former First Lady Barbara Bush, on the Hurricane flood evacuees in the Houston Astrodome, Sept. 5, 2005.***3) "It makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that's seven feet under sea level....It looks like a lot of that place could be bulldozed." –House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), Aug. 31, 2005.***4) "We've got a lot of rebuilding to do ... The good news is — and it's hard for some to see it now — that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house — he's lost his entire house — there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch." (Laughter) —President Bush, touring hurricane damage, Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005.***5) "Considering the dire circumstances that we have in New Orleans, virtually a city that has been destroyed, things are going relatively well." –former, and incompetent, FEMA Director Michael Brown, Sept. 1, 2005.***6) "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." –President Bush, to FEMA director Michael Brown, while touring Hurricane-ravaged Mississippi, Sept. 2, 2005.***7) "I have not heard a report of thousands of people in the convention center who don't have food and water." –Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, on NPR's "All Things Considered," Sept. 1, 2005.***8) "Well, I think if you look at what actually happened, I remember on Tuesday morning picking up newspapers, and I saw headlines, 'New Orleans Dodged the Bullet.' Because if you recall, the storm moved to the east and then continued on and appeared to pass with considerable damage, but nothing worse." –Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, blaming media coverage for his failings, "Meet the Press," Sept. 4, 2005.***9) "I mean, you have people who don't heed those warnings and then put people at risk as a result of not heeding those warnings. There may be a need to look at tougher penalties on those who decide to ride it out and understand that there are consequences to not leaving.” –Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), Sept. 6, 2005.***10) "You simply get chills every time you see these poor individuals...many of these people, almost all of them that we see, are so poor, and they are so black, and this is going to raise lots of questions for people who are watching this story unfold." –CNN's Wolf Blitzer, on New Orleans' hurricane evacuees, Sept. 1, 2005.***11) "What didn't go right?'" –President Bush, as quoted by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), after she urged him to fire FEMA Director Michael Brown "because of all that went wrong, of all that didn't go right" in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort."***12) "Now tell me the truth boys, is this kind of fun?" –House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX), to three young hurricane evacuees from New Orleans at the Astrodome in Houston.***13) "We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did." –Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA) to lobbyists, as quoted in the Wall Street Journal.***14) "Louisiana is a city that is largely under water." –Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, news conference, Sept. 3, 2005.***15) "I also want to encourage anybody who was affected by Hurricane Corina to make sure their children are in school." –First Lady Laura Bush, twice referring to a "Hurricane Corina" while speaking to children and parents in South Haven, Mississippi, Sept. 8, 2005.***16) "It's totally wiped out. ... It's devastating, it's got to be doubly devastating on the ground." –President Bush, turning to his aides while surveying Hurricane Katrina flood damage from Air Force One, Aug. 31, 2005.***17) "I believe the town where I used to come – from Houston, Texas, to enjoy myself, occasionally too much – will be that very same town, that it will be a better place to come to." –President Bush, on the tarmac at the New Orleans airport, Sept. 2, 2005.***18) "Last night, we showed you the full force of a superpower government going to the rescue." –MSNBC's Chris Matthews, Sept. 1, 2005.***19) "You know I talked to Haley Barbour, the governor of Mississippi yesterday because some people were saying, 'Well, if you hadn't sent your National Guard to Iraq, we here in Mississippi would be better off.' He told me 'I've been out in the field every single day, hour, for four days and no one, not one single mention of the word Iraq.' Now where does that come from? Where does that story come from if the governor is not picking up one word about it? I don't know. I can use my imagination.” –Former President George Bush, who can give his imagination a rest, interview with CNN’s Larry King, Sept. 5, 2005.***20) "We just learned of the convention center – we being the federal government – today." –former FEMA Director Michael Brown, to ABC's Ted Koppel, Sept. 1, 2005, to which Koppel responded " Don't you guys watch television? Don't you guys listen to the radio? Our reporters have been reporting on it for more than just today."***21) "I don't want to alarm everybody that, you know, New Orleans is filling up like a bowl. That's just not happening." -Bill Lokey, FEMA's New Orleans coordinator, in a press briefing from Baton Rouge, Aug. 30, 2005.***

22) "FEMA is not going to hesitate at all in this storm. We are not going to sit back and make this a bureaucratic process. We are going to move fast; we are going to move quick, and we are going to do whatever it takes to help disaster victims." –former FEMA Director Michael Brown, Aug. 28, 2005.***23) "I don't make judgments about why people chose not to leave but, you know, there was a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans." –former FEMA Director Michael Brown, arguing that the victims bear some responsibility, CNN interview, Sept. 1, 2005.***24) "I understand there are 10,000 people dead. It's terrible. It's tragic. But in a democracy of 300 million people, over years and years and years, these things happen." --GOP strategist Jack Burkman, on MSNBC's "Connected," Sept. 7, 2005.***25) "Thank President Clinton and former President Bush for their strong statements of support and comfort today. I thank all the leaders that are coming to Louisiana, and Mississippi and Alabama to our help and rescue. We are grateful for the military assets that are being brought to bear. I want to thank Senator Frist and Senator Reid for their extraordinary efforts. Anderson, tonight, I don't know if you've heard – maybe you all have announced it -- but Congress is going to an unprecedented session to pass a $10 billion supplemental bill tonight to keep FEMA and the Red Cross up and operating." –Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), to CNN's Anderson Cooper, Aug. 31, 2005, to which Cooper responded: "I haven't heard that, because, for the last four days, I've been seeing dead bodies in the streets here in Mississippi. And to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other, you know, I got to tell you, there are a lot of people here who are very upset, and very angry, and very frustrated. And when they hear politicians slap – you know, thanking one another, it just, you know, it kind of cuts them the wrong way right now, because literally there was a body on the streets of this town yesterday, being eaten by rats, because this woman had been laying in the street for 48 hours. And there's not enough facilities to take her up. Do you get the anger that is out here?"

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DRUGS AND BOTTOMLESS GREED, sent in by Mick Gallagher

The woman who signed below is a Budget Analyst out of federal Washington, DC offices.

Did you ever wonder how much it costs a drugcompany for the active ingredient in prescription medications? Some people think it must cost a lot, since many drugs sell for more than $2.00 per tablet. We did a search of offshore chemical synthesizers that supply the active ingredients found in drugs approved by the FDA. As we have revealed in past issues of Life Extension, a significant percentage of drugs sold in the United
States contain active ingredients made in other countries. In our independent investigation of how much profit drug companies really make, we obtained the actual price of active ingredients used in some
of the most popular drugs sold in America:

Celebrex: 100 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $130.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.60
***Percent markup: 21,712%
Claritin: 10 mg
Consumer Price (100 tablets): $215.17
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.71
Percent markup: 30,306%
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Keflex: 250 mg
Consumer Price (100 tablets): $157.39
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.88
Percent markup: 8,372%
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Lipitor: 20 mg
Consumer Price (100 tablets): $272.37
Cost of general active ingredients: $5.80
Percent markup: 4,696%
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Norvasc: 10 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $188.29
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.14Percent markup: 134,493%
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Paxil: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $220.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $7.60
Percent markup: 2,898%
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Prevacid: 30 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $44.77
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.01
Percent markup: 34,136%
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Prilosec: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $360.97
Cost of general active ingredients $0.52
Percent markup: 69,417%
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Prozac: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets) : $247.47
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.11
Percent markup: 224,973%
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Tenormin: 50 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $104.47
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.13
Percent markup: 80,362%
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Vasotec: 10 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $102.37
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.20
Percent markup: 51,185%
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Xanax: 1 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets) : $136.79
Cost of general active ingredients: $0.024
Percent markup: 569,958%
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Zestril: 20 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets) $89.89
Cost of general active ingredients $3.20
Percent markup: 2,809
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Zithromax: 600 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $1,482.19
Cost of general active ingredients: $18.78
Percent markup: 7,892%
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Zocor: 40 mg
Consumer price (100 tablets): $350.27
Cost of general active ingredients: $8.63
Percent markup: 4,059%
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Zoloft: 50 mg
Consumer price: $206.87
Cost of general active ingredients: $1.75
Percent markup: 11,821%
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Since the cost of prescription drugs is so outrageous, I thought that everyone should know about this. Please read the following and pass it on.

It pays to shop around. This solves the problem: Why can they put a drugstore on every corner? On Monday night, Steve Wilson, an investigative reporter for Channel 7 News in Detroit, did a story on generic drug price gouging by pharmacies. He found in his investigation, that some of these generic drugs were marked up as much as 3,000% or more. No, that's not a typo! Three thousand percent! So often, we blame the drug companies for the high cost of drugs, and usually rightfully so. But in this case, the fault clearly lies with the pharmacies themselves, as well. For example, if you had to buy a prescription drug, and bought the name brand, you might pay $100 for 100 pills. The pharmacist might tell you that if you get the generic equivalent, they would only cost $80, making you think you are "saving" $20. What the pharmacist is not telling you is that those 100 generic pills might have cost him only $10!

At the end of the report, one of the anchors asked Mr. Wilson whether or not there were any pharmacies that did not adhere to this practice, and he said that Costco consistently charged little over their cost for the generic drugs.

I went to the Costco site, where you can look up any drug, and get its online price. It says that the in-store prices are consistent with the online prices. I was appalled. Just to give you one example from my own experience, I had to use the drug, Compazine, which helps prevent nausea in chemo patients.

I used the generic equivalent, which cost $55 for
60 pills at CVS. I checked the price at Costco, and I could have bought 100 pills for $20. For 145 of my pain pills, I paid $72.57. I could have got 150 at Costco for $28.08.

I would like to mention that, although Costco is a "membership" type store, you do NOT have to be a member to buy prescriptions there, as it is a federally regulated substance. You just tell them at the door that you wish to use the pharmacy, and they will let you in. I am asking each of you to please help me by copying this letter, and passing it into your own email system, and send it to everyone whom you know with an email address.

--Sharon L. Davis
Budget Analyst
U.S . Department of Commerce
Room 6839
Office Ph: 202-482-4458
Office Fax: 202-482-5480
Email Address: sdavis@doc.gov

*****

MEMORABLE QUOTES

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has."-- Margaret Mead

***

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get

its pants on."-- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

***

THIS PRISTINE MOMENT, sent in by Geoffrey Stoermer

Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your life.

*****

ABDUCTED BY ALIENS? sent in by Ty Scharrer

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2005/09.22/11-alien.html

People who claim they were abducted by aliens are not crazy, says psychologist Susan Clancy. But they are victims of bad dreams and a lively imagination. (Staff file photo Jon Chase/Harvard News Office) Alien abduction claims explained Sleep paralysis, false memories involved By William J. Cromie Harvard News Office

Many of the people who believe they have been abducted by aliens are bombarding Susan Clancy with hate emails and phone calls. The Harvard researcher, who has spent five years listening to the stories of some 50 abductees, has described her (and their) experiences in a new book to be published in October.

Clancy, 36, likes most of these people. "They are definitely not crazy," she says. But they do have "a tendency to fantasize and to hold unusual beliefs and ideas. They believe not only in alien abductions, but also in things like ufo's, ESP, astrology, tarot, channeling, auras, and crystal therapy. They also have in common a rash of disturbing experiences for which they are seeking an explanation. For them, alien abduction is the best fit."

As you might guess, the people behind all that hate mail and the phone calls don't buy that. They were there, she wasn't, they insist. In her book, "Abducted: How People Come to Believe They Were Kidnapped by Aliens," to be published by the Harvard University Press, Clancy describes a typical reaction: "Can you believe the nerve of that girl (Clancy)?" one abductee says. "She comes to me, like, 'Oh, I believe you've been abducted! Let me interview you to learn more. Oh, what really happened, she says, is sleep paralysis.' Right! How the hell does she know? Did it happen to her?

"There was something in the room that night! I was spinning.... I blacked out. It was terrifying.... I wasn't sleeping. I was taken. I was violated, ripped apart-- literally, figuratively, metaphorically, whatever you want to call it. Does she know what that's like?"

Paralyzing dreams: Abduction stories are strikingly similar. Victims wake up and find themselves paralyzed, unable to move or cry out for help. They see flashing lights and hear buzzing sounds. Electric sensations zing through their bodies, which may rise up in levitation....Sometimes sexual intercourse occurs.

...Clancy, Richard McNally, a professor of psychology at Harvard, and other researchers tie such horrifying happenings to sleep paralysis, a condition where the usual separation between sleep and wakefulness gets out of synchronization.

When you dream, you are paralyzed. It's a natural adaptation to prevent people from lashing out, jumping out of bed, walking into doors or windows, and otherwise injuring themselves. But it's possible to wake up while still paralyzed.

"We can find ourselves hallucinating sights, sounds, and bodily sensations," Clancy says. "They seem real, but they're actually the products of our imaginations."...

Bizarre effects aside, sleep paralysis is as normal as hiccups. It's not a sign of mental illness. About 25 percent of people... have experienced it, and about 5 percent get the whole show of sight, sound, tactile hallucinations, and abduction.

Some of these people become completely absorbed by what happened, and seek an explanation of it. That can lead them into a grab bag of different techniques well known to those with a rich fantasy life and a distaste for scientific explanations.

Such techniques include hypnosis, guided imagery, regression, and relaxation therapies. "These all work in roughly the same way," Clancy comments. "The therapist lulls the abductee into a suggestive state, in which normal reality constraints are relaxed, and then asks the person to vividly image things that might have happened." Or, might not have happened.

Hypnosis, she says, "is a bad way to refresh your memories. Not only that, it renders you susceptible to creating memories of things that never happened, things that were suggested to you, or that you just imagined. If you (or your therapist) have pre-existing beliefs or expectations, you're liable to recall experiences that fit with these beliefs, rather than events that actually happened."

False memories. Clancy knows all about false memories; they got her into studying abductees in the first place. When she arrived at Harvard to work on a Ph.D. in 1996, she was fascinated by the political, legal, and social impacts of people who suddenly recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse. Using standard laboratory tests, she found that women who reported recovering such memories were more likely to remember things that never happened than women who always remembered such abuse.

That result, however, does not prove whether or not the woman with "recovered memories" had actually been sexually abused. Clancy then got the idea that she could get a better scientific grip on false memories by studying people who recovered memories of events that could not, in her mind, have possibly happened, i.e., being abducted by aliens.

"Boy, was I naïve," she says in retrospect. "You can't disprove alien abductions. All you can do is show that evidence is insufficient to justify the belief, and try to understand why people have those beliefs."

On the way to doing this, she, McNally, and their colleagues made some tantalizing discoveries. Measurements of sweating, heart rate, and brain waves showed that those claiming to be abductees show the same symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome as combat veterans. The researchers did not, however, conclude that the abductees had experienced combat-type trauma. Rather, they believe, it is the emotional significance of a memory, whether it is true or not, that causes sweaty hands and rapid heartbeats.

Earlier this year, Clancy and McNally reported on another study that found those who recalled childhood sexual abuse or abduction by aliens experience higher rates of sleep paralysis than those who do not make such claims. Strikingly, the first group also scored high on underlying traits of fantasy proneness, paranormal interests and experiences, and inability to relate socially to others.

Add to this mixture a recurring interest in aliens expressed in books, in movies, and on television, as well as true discoveries of more than 150 planets orbiting other stars in our galaxy.... Others find that alien abductions provide answers and peace of mind, says Clancy.

"It probably doesn't matter much to the abductees whether they are right or wrong," she comments. "They simply feel better because of what they believe."

*****

GOOD-BYE TO A FRIEND

Our friend and brother, Gale Miller, has left our planet and taken that great voyage into infinity, stepped into the Milky Way. His presence on earth will be sorely missed. He was a kind and intelligent man, a doctor, with interests in spirituality. His final days were, for a long time, experiences of intense boredom, pain, and a strong sense of weakness and loss. While we are glad that he left that painful, aging body behind, we will truly miss his presence among us. A Memorial Service was held at the Pneumarium on Sunday, October 2. The cosmos is made richer, and Gale is enormously enriched, but our planet is made poorer by his journey, and his absence. A happy and delightful trip, my friend! All that you ever wanted or needed now comes to you!

*****

WHAT SHOULD I BE DOING WITH MY LIFE?, by Tom Gustin ("Yit)

Often we feel a bit "stuck." We seem to lack purposeful direction and motivation. Or there might be a subtle nagging feeling that we are not doing something necessary. Or, when we are at a full stop deadend, we might ask this "Big Question." This might occur during the dreaded mid-life crisis, or in some other “dark night."

These “gloomy” states, bordering on a gentle depression, seem to be inevitable for many. But time after time, they turn out to be the “move-on” triggers that compel selftransformation.

Our roof-brain chatter starts to include the following thoughts. “Am I doing what I should be? Life is NOT working. Why do I feel stuck? Something has to change. What is my purpose? Why do I feel so empty? What needs to be changed?” It is easy to get lost in our thoughts and feelings; then, we just cannot absorb the entire “Big Picture.” Focusing on one aspect at a time might help. While there are many different ways to approach such a Big Question, pick one as a starting place. This can lead to alternative inquiries. For instance, there are two kinds of life-duties: the “imaginary” and the “real.” (This is presented in “The Voice of ISIS,” published in 1913 by Harriette & Homer Curtiss.)

Imaginary duties are usually selfimposed tasks that we feel compelled to perform for others’ opinions. We somehow feel forced to do them. But we would not do them if our social and/or family circumstances were different. They are frequently merely an ego attempt to bolster low selfesteem. This is evidenced by the obvious need for validation from others “outside” us. “I am a good person because my boss likes my work.”

Sometimes our perceived duties might include our “control dramas” that we habitually use when interacting with people. We might believe that it is our duty to control another, partially or completely. Then, we make that our full-time job.

Our imaginary duties might also be subconscious "dodging tactics." These are used to avoid the real duties. For we are "too busy” doing the “imaginary” ones.

But what is a “real” duty? Real duties are persistent. We do not have to search for them; they are forever “in your face” until they are accomplished. All real duties perpetually confront us. Why? Because in our growth-history, we have set up conditions, by our choices, which make exactly these tasks necessary. These assignments exist to build into our Soul certain qualities which we lack. We actually make choices, usually unconsciously, that unwaveringly provide a steady stream of opportunities. These make specific changes in our lives. Please do not take my word for this. Examine your own life. And look at cause and effect associations to see whether this is not also true for you.

Our real duties, heavily laden with growth purposes, are the reason for our visit to Earth School at this time and place. These create our conditions. The Universal Mind always provides us with everything that we need. It does so, at exactly the moment that we need it, in an easy to perceive format. We can ignore these important messages arriving through Unconscious Mind-levels. And, often, we do. As is the case with our "shadow," we may look away, even flee. Yet the lesson is always there, in one form or another. Duties that are constantly “in your face” tell us exactly what we should be doing with our lives, right now.

“No, no, you don’t understand,” you might object. “I want to know what I am supposed to be doing in the future so that I can prepare for it now.” Your fears about the unknown future betray you. They are exacerbated by failing to live in the NOW, this present moment. Every single choice you have ever made has brought you to this very moment. Everything that you have ever learned has prepared you for being who you are at this very moment. The choice that you make in this very moment is leading you to your future. It is impossible to live in the past, although many of us spend huge quantities of timenergy trying. The past is dead, non-existent, and unchangeable. Many of us use up vast amounts of mental power and precious time daydreaming about a future that does not now exist. By focusing instead on the present moment, and remaining attentive during our responses to it, we automatically ensure that we are working with our real duties, and not some imaginary ones.

Real duties require selfchanging effort. However, the energy exerted performing a real duty will not leave us exhausted. We always possess ALL that we need to perform a real duty. We are never given a duty that is more than we can actually handle.

The tougher the struggle, the greater the victory. The built-in apparent difficulties are designed to “stretch” us, make us more powerful by providing some small amount of manageable resistance to overcome. A perfect analogy for our “character growth” is that of physical exercise. We become stronger by repeatedly overcoming, one little step at a time, obstacles. When the real duty before us appears to be more than we can handle, deal with it in “baby steps.” We would not start a jogging regimen by attempting to run a 26-mile marathon the first time we put on running shoes. In the same manner, focus only on the one, itty-bitty task currently presented. And then move on to the next, and the next, until “suddenly” we discover that we have made a major change in ourselves! And it is for the better.

Depending upon our early-life training, many of us habitually tend to be self-sabotaging “human-doings,” instead of “in-charge" human beings. If we are sleepwalking through life, then we might often mechanically steer clear of performing the real duties. There is, of course, no big hurry. If we want to put off learning a necessary life lesson, that is fine. There is a price to pay for this habitual behavior, however.

You have probably heard the cliché: “what we resist persists.” It is indeed regrettable that such an important life-lesson has been trivialized. Our real duties are the everyday confirmation of this short truism, for those who have eyes to see or ears to hear. Higher energy levels are required to maintain the same old responses. When we crank up the energy in our creation causing choices, if there is any fear-based negativity in the intention, we will be provided a more powerful level of negativity in our "worlds." This might come as pain, to grab our attention. So, if you feel like you are stuck in a rut, yank yourself out of it by trying some new, love-based choices.

*****