Stick Wars Hacked: 8月 2012

2012年8月31日星期五

The Hack Writer Becomes War Movie Critic - Well, Not Really

The word critic (Greek, Latin) flashes back to the word judge. We know a critic as:

1. One who forms and expresses judgments of the merits, faults, value, or truth of a matter.

2. One who specializes especially professionally in the evaluation and appreciation of literary or artistic works: a film critic; a dance critic.

3. One who tends to make harsh or carping judgments; a faultfinder.

I know what a critic is because they destroy the lives of authors, script writers, and hack writers like me.

A critic is supposed to be objective and not put his own taste on the plate. Well, evidently, not really.

A critic says anything that he pleases.

Sometimes a critic makes an important person angry such as the one that angered President Truman--during the worst time of the Korean War--saying that his singing daughter, Mary Margaret, was not all that great at her operatic art.

The president wrote these words to the critic: "Some day I hope to meet you. When that happens you'll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter below!"

The letter did not make more folks angry at the critic. It did make the people angry at the president.

Later, the president's daughter took up writing mysteries. I know that President Truman is dead, but I'm not taking any chances by judging her novels. His ghost might come after me.

Here are some examples of what critics say:

"The covers of this book are too far apart." ~ Ambrose Bierce

"This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force." ~ Dorothy Parker

"She had been critical of his new torch song, "A Side Order of Heartache, Please," suggesting it could be used as a good way to break in their new paper shredder." ~ Woody Allen (Mere Anarchy)

Ref: http://workinghumor.com/quotes/criticism.shtml

Those critics could make an author feel just awful.

Here is what famous people have said about critics and criticism (same ref.):

Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you'll be criticized anyway. ~ Anna Eleanor Roosevelt

The rule in carving holds good as to criticism; never cut with a knife what you can cut with a spoon. ~ Charles Buxton

A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her. ~ David Brinkley

A painting in a museum probably hears more foolish remarks than anything else in the world. ~ Edmond and Jules De Goncourt

To escape criticism -- do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. ~ Elbert Hubbard

It isn't what they say about you, it's what they whisper. ~ Errol Flynn

If criticism had any power to harm, the skunk would be extinct by now. ~ Fred Allen

Don't be afraid of opposition. Remember, a kite rises against, not with, the wind. ~ Hamilton Mabie

From my close observation of writers... they fall into two groups: 1) those who bleed copiously and visibly at any bad review, and 2) those who bleed copiously and secretly at any bad review. ~ Isaac Asimov

Before you criticize people, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away. And you have their shoes. ~ JK Lambert

A negative judgment gives you more satisfaction than praise, provided it smacks of jealousy. ~ Jean Baudrillard

There is no defense against criticism except obscurity. ~ Joseph Addison

Nothing is more apt to deceive us than our own judgment of our work. We derive more benefit from having our faults pointed out by our enemies than from hearing the opinions of friends. ~ Leonardo da Vinci

I cried all the way to the bank. ~ Liberace (when asked whether he minded being criticized)

I love criticism just so long as it is unqualified praise. ~ Noel Coward

I have always been very fond of them (drama critics) . . . I think it is so frightfully clever of them to go night after night to the theater and know so little about it. ~ Noel Coward

Sticks and stones are hard on bones, aimed with angry art,

Words can sting like anything but silence breaks the heart.

~ Phyllis McGinley

A fly, Sir, may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still. ~ Samuel Johnson

Criticism is a study by which men grow important and formidable at a very small expense. ~ Samuel Johnson

Anyway, I've decided to become a war movie aficionado rather than a critic. I don't want to make anyone angry.

There are only a handful of great war movies in existence. (The latest version of the War of the Worlds movie starring Tom Cruise is not one of them.

Any movie with stereotype actors like John Wayne are excluded because the actors become bigger than the story--especially if they are old and fat.

Some stars, like Tom Hanks and Humphrey Bogart, are somehow able to blend into a story. It's called "acting the part" rather than grandstanding. When John Wayne played Rooster Cogburn in True Grit, he played the part.

Before I mention the movies, I must give you this criteria that affects my judgement: My brother was in the Navy in World War II and he kept a wonderful log of war in the Pacific. My uncle and some friends were in World War I and fought in the trenches. I was with the Seventeenth Infantry Regimental Combat Team in Korea during 1951-52 when the war was still hot. My criteria is simple: Is the movie really like war based on my experience?

Some great war movies are as follows:

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930):

Plot:

"This is an English language film (made in America) adapted from a novel by German author Erich Maria Remarque. The film follows a group of German schoolboys, talked into enlisting at the beginning of World War 1 by their jingoistic teacher. The story is told entirely through the experiences of the young German recruits and highlights the tragedy of war through the eyes of individuals. As the boys witness death and mutilation all around them, any preconceptions about "the enemy" and the "rights and wrongs" of the conflict disappear, leaving them angry and bewildered. This is highlighted in the scene where Paul mortally wounds a French soldier and then weeps bitterly as he fights to save his life while trapped in a shell crater with the body. The film is not about heroism but about drudgery and futility and the gulf between the concept of war and the actuality." Written by Michele Wilkinson, University of Cambridge Language Centre, {mw125@cus.cam.ac.uk} See http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020629/plotsummary

Aficionado's Comment:

When I was a boy I saw the results of the Great War. One veteran in our town walked the streets continually whistling the same tune. He never spoke a word. I often walked with him and we became friends. But the war had destroyed him.

Another man I knew spent his time in the street an in the bars near the Union Pacific Railroad station in Salt Lake City. In the street, he directed traffic and reported to his imaginary superior officers, saluting and standing at attention. In the bars, he hoped for a free drink. Another life lost.

My uncle was in that war. Like others, he was gassed by phosgene or mustard gas or such. Trench foot was often referred to by those who fought in the trenches in France. My cousin's father was declared dead during the flu epidemic and a tag was tied to his toe. He lived.

My father was sent of to that war, but after two weeks at Camp Lewis, Washington, the army decided that they couldn't find him and other recruits uniforms and sent them back to the farm. My father said there was not much to eat either. He said that they had "jerky." A piece of pork rind was tied to a string and hung from the roof of the barracks. Each recruit climbed up on a stool, swallowed the pork rind, and then jumped down from the stool, leaving the pork rind for the next guy to swallow. I'm not sure if that actually occurred.

The movie may have some shortcomings but they put over the point that war is not glory but gory and the worst plaque of all mankind, breading all human sorrows. I think I have mentioned in other articles about how the Korean war devastated families and communities. Unless man can find a substitute for our killing instincts and the falsities of military-minded men, this planet will be left to the ground squirrels and snakes. At least, I hope there is that much left.

Sahara (1943):

Plot

"Filmed during World War II, this film was intended to be a propaganda piece for the U.S. government. Sergeant Joe Gunn (Bogart) leads an abandoned tank unit after the fall of Tobruk in North Africa. The tanks picks up British, French, South African, and Sudanese soldiers along the way, becoming a microcosm of the Allied troops. The group works together to defeat a much larger German force that wants the same water well that they have. The film portrays all of the images that the U.S. deemed important for the American people see in regards to the war." Written by Kasey Kist {kistky@uc.email.edu} http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036323/plotsummary

Aficionado's Comment:

I was eleven years old when this film was released. World War II was in full force, my brother was in the navy, the stars in the windows of the homes in the neighborhood were changing from blue, to bronze, to silver, to gold as our servicemen were missing, wounded, or killed in action.

We kids were anxious to get into the war. The Utah State Fair Grounds were changed to an army camp. We ran the obstacle course and amazed the troops that we could run the course and some of them could not.

My sister's boy friend was serving in Africa. We read his letters to her and learned about the war there. I remember his description of the bazooka and how it helped change the war. That is a weapon that I have fired, but not in combat. The film gets it's message across as described in the plot. In those days, Rommel, Patton, and Montgomery were the big news but the movie bonded us to a tank and the German and multinational soldiers who were fighting for what is really important--water.

Run Silent Run Deep (1958):

Plot:

"The captain of a submarine sunk by the Japanese during WWII is finally given a chance to skipper another sub after a year of working a desk job. His single-minded determination for revenge against the destroyer that sunk his previous vessel puts his new crew in unnecessary danger." Written by Kevin Ackley {kackley1@aol.com} http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052151/plotsummary

Aficionado's Comment:

After Pearl Harbor, our brave submariners were able to fight while the other forces were trying to recoup from December 7, 1941. The acting in this movie is good and the plot is strong. I was excited by what the skipper learned about the enemy while laying injured in his bunk and how he got his revenge. But the bottom line is that no greater courage was required than by our submariners. When I was an engineering professor at Iowa State University, a fellow worker lost his son on the Thresher. Just like the families that are suffering as members or our forces die daily, he was devastated.

Das Boot (1981):

"It is 1942 and the German submarine fleet is heavily engaged in the so called "Battle of the Atlantic" to harass and destroy English shipping. With better escorts of the Destroyer Class, however, German U-Boats have begun to take heavy losses. "Das Boot" is the story of one such U-Boat crew, with the film examining how these submariners maintained their professionalism as soldiers, attempted to accomplish impossible missions, while all the time attempting to understand and obey the ideology of the government under which they served." Written by Anthony Hughes {husnock31@hotmail.com} http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082096/plotsummary

Aficionado's Comment:

Not quite the same tone as All Quiet on the Western Front, but close. I was never in underwater combat. It must be the most discouraging of all warfare systems. Something close must be when our shuttle astronauts reenter our atmosphere at a breakneck speed--depending on the heat shield made from materials developed by people like me.

Gettysburg (1993)

"The three day battle that was a turning point in the Civil War is shown from the perspectives of both sides, highlighting the fight for Little Round Top, and Pickett's Charge. Other focuses include Longstreet ... and Lee's relationship as they have differing strategic opinions, Armistead fighting on the opposite side of his old friend Hancock, and the Chamberlain brothers." Written by Anonymous http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107007/plotsummary

Aficionado's Comment:

We lived in York, PA for five years and I often visited our factories in Adam's County so close to Gettysburg that we often had lunch there. But I had always been interested in Gettysburg and spent a lot of time on the various battlefields. I visited the battlefield with my father and we toured the wax museum. I was amazed at how much my father knew about the Civil war even though my grandfather had mentioned seeing Lincoln's funeral train, etc.

To me, the Civil War was a great tragedy causing too much suffering on a young nation. I often think what the population of the United States would be now if that war had been avoided. What great individuals were never born because their would-be fathers were killed in the war.

Great acting and the true portrayal of heroism is what makes this movie great. The shortcoming of leaders amplified the carnage that took place there.

War is hell.

Note: My novel Bone China uses this area as a backdrop.

Saving Private Ryan (1998):

Plot

"Opening with the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, members of the 2nd Ranger Battalion under Cpt. Miller fight ashore to secure a beachhead. Amidst the fighting, two brothers are killed in action. Earlier in New Guinea, a third brother is KIA. Their mother, Mrs. Ryan, is to receive all three of the grave telegrams on the same day. The United States Army Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall, is given an opportunity to alleviate some of her grief when he learns of a fourth brother, Private James Ryan, and decides to send out 8 men (Cpt. Miller and select members from 2nd Rangers) to find him and bring him back home to his mother..." Written by J.Zelman http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/plotsummary

Aficionado's Comment:

I liked this movie because it showed infantrymen at work the way they actually work. Sometimes war movies are hard to watch because they bring back to my mind sad and dangerous situations. Still, I 've watched this movie more than once.

Letters from Iwo Jima (1996):

Plot

"The island of Iwo Jima stands between the American military force and the home islands of Japan. Therefore the Imperial Japanese Army is desperate to prevent it from falling into American hands and providing a launching point for an invasion of Japan. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi is given command of the forces on the island and sets out to prepare for the imminent attack. General Kuribayashi, however, does not favor the rigid traditional approach recommended by his subordinates, and resentment and resistance fester among his staff. In the lower echelons, a young soldier, Saigo, a poor baker in civilian life, strives with his friends to survive the harsh regime of the Japanese army itself, all the while knowing that a fierce battle looms. When the American invasion begins, both Kuribayashi and Saigo find strength, honor, courage, and horrors beyond imagination." Written by Jim Beaver {jumblejim@prodigy.net}

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0498380/plotsummary

Aficionado's Comment:

The script is in captions unless you can understand Japanese. I only know a few words, having visited Japan during the Korean War and on business trips after the war. Still, the captions did not bother me.

I learned young on my first visit to Japan that there was another side to the Japanese not revealed in World War propaganda. I'm sure that the innate Samurai nature of some Japanese is still there in some of the older folks, but I doubt that it exist in the newer generations. The film depicts exactly what the Japanese soldiers were like because of the letters they wrote home.

The movie revealed a bit of American "unfairness" when marines murdered two prisoners they were charged to care for. It was a simple act of laziness, the marines not wanting to do their duty. It was what the Japanese were doing to American prisoners, and that is what the marines did.

In Korea, I saw crude behavior between civilians and G.I.s, but I never saw an American soldier injure or kill a civilian, at least not intentionally. As for prisoners, on my part, I just saw them as big Chinese kids from Manchuria too-young to fight. We fed them and chatted with them and treated their wounds. What happened to them once they got down to the line may have been a different thing. I hope they were treated properly. I know there were riots in the prison camps. I would suspect that they were incited by North Koreans more than by Chinese prisoners but I have not researched that idea. Wounded American prisoners were murdered during the war. For example, see: http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/hill303.htm

How did I feel about all those Chinese soldiers we killed? I knew that their wifes, sweethearts, parents, siblings, and friends would soon mourn.

The End

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com), a retired college professor and business executive, Former editor of an international engineering magazine. To learn more about Wealthy Affiliate University go to his info site. If you desire a flagpole to Fly Old Glory, go to the business site.

More info: http://www.InternetBusinessToolCenter.com

Business web site: http://www.AAAFlagpoles.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

UFO - The Kringstrot Cyphloodon

Xrytspet came by when I didn't want to see her.

I never want to see that alien sprite.

When Xrytspet appeared, I was watching my neighbor's white Labrador Retriever out the front window. His name is Gunner, Gunner III to be more exact, and he retrieves rocks, sticks, balls, and paper hangers.

Gunner does not retrieve birds.

When my friend or his son drops a pheasant or quail or duck or sage hen, Gunner just gives the bird a sniff and walks away.

That's when Xrytspet popped in.

Xrytspet: I've counted the ways you waste time. This is 1784.

Hack Writer: I wish it were 1784 and you were--

Xrytspet: Ah, yes, 1784! You have a knack for picking the most boring years in history: The North Carolina General Assembly changed the name of Kingston to Kinston. The Japanese famine killed 300,000. Benjamin Franklin tried in vain to persuade the French to alter their clocks in winter to take advantage of the daylight and invented bifocal spectacles. Antoine Lavoisier pioneered quantitative chemistry. Britain received its first bales of imported American cotton. Emperor Josef II suspended the Hungarian Constitution because of a Revolution in Transylvania. Huge locust swarm hit South Africa. And the triumph of triumphs, Cholesterol was isolated. The--

Hack Writer: The French are not so dumb. Kinston! We built a factory there to make bone china.

Xrytspet: What you did was turn a perfectly good farm into a parking lot.

Hack Writer: 1784! Sometimes I think you have Google® wired into your brain.

Xrytspet: It is convenient.

Hack Writer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1784, right?

Xrytspet: That is your Number 16 time-wasting scheme: your mindless chatter. I came here to invite you to the Kringstrot Cyphloodon.

Hack Writer: I only like summer baseball, college basketball in March, the professional basketball playoffs, boxing, and live football even in summer.

Xrytspet: The Kringstrot Cyphloodon, my brainless friend, is not your favorite sport.

Hack Writer: Then I won't like it, will I?

Xrytspet: Why do I bother? Adios, Taylor Jones the Hack Writer.

Hack Writer: Hasta la vista!

Xrytspet disappeared. Good riddance to bad rubbish!

But before I could blink, there I was next to her in the FnL7 Time Craft. For an instant we were in Transylvania.

Xrytspet: Whoops! I didn't change the time setting. Ah, here we go.

Hack Writer: Here we go to what and to where?

Xrytspet: We're off to the Kringstrot Cyphloodon. It's held every 187 earth years on the planet Kringstrot in G14635339990000. You will be a curiosity. You are the first human to go too. By the way, there are no facilities for continually defecating humans there so you won't be able to eat or drink until after the Cyphloodon.

Hack Writer: How long is this Cyphloodon.

Xrytspet: With the preliminary ceremony and the final banquet, it last three earths years. I'll give you a potion so you don't die.

Hack Writer: You are so lovingly considerate, Xrytspet. The potion will probably turn me into a kangaroo or kitten or god knows what.

Xrytspet: Not a kangaroo or a kitten. You have no imagination Taylor Jones the Hack Writer.

I noticed on the destination clock that we were going to earth year 2568. Xrytspet had placed an algorithm in her computer so that the star date was converted to our time. She did that just for me. Knowing she was going to turn me into something I wouldn'd like, I said sarcastically, "Hallelujah!"

Xrytspet: I'll tell him.

Hack Writer: Tell who?

Xrytspet: God, of course. Who else does that word apply to?"

Hack Writer: God gets plenty of praise without you delivering mine personally.

Xrytspet: Well, tell him yourself. We are almost there.

Hack Writer: God attends the Kringstrot Cyphloodon?

Xrytspet: He not only attends but he rides a flexestradon, named Pokenadar, that always wins the sky jump medley.

Hack Writer: Did I say I liked track, Xrytspet?

Xrytspet: You will like the Kringstrot Cyphloodon.

The End

P.S. It turns out I enjoyed the Kringstrot Cyphloodon. I had a chat with God and asked him when President Bush would end the war he started in Iraq. He glided off as he said, "I thought you might be an earthling. That conversion Xrytspet gave you greatly improves your looks. You look good in chestnut fur and those pea green eyes are very striking. I'll see you later, Taylor Jones the Hack Writer. I've got to get ready for the next race. Let's see, I'll be seeing you on -- Oh, you don't want to know."

More info: http://www.InternetBusinessToolCenter.com

Business web site: http://www.AAAFlagpoles.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

China's Internet Threat

In 1946, Albert Einstein made the famous statement: "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." Well Albert, I can now tell you how World War III will be fought. The weapons will be keyboards and the battleground will be cyberspace. No longer does a nation have to bomb an enemy to destroy that nation's critical economic and military infrastructure. Today, industrialized nations rely on the Internet for every aspect of their economy, government and military operations. A total disruption of the Internet could bring the world economy to a halt and cripple the ability of western nations to effectively deploy their military.

A recent report by the Heritage Foundation entitled, "Trojan Dragons: China's International Cyber Warriors" describes the emphasis that China is placing on cyber warfare. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has cyber warfare brigades that are already at work probing, hacking and stealing data from US and European computer systems. The Chinese cyber attacks haven't been limited to government systems. In fact, their primary target is economic and industrial information systems. China's intelligence collection is the top intelligence threat to America's science and technology secrets.

"America is under widespread attack in cyberspace", testified General James Cartwright of the US Strategic Command to Congress in March 2007. There were more than 80,000 attempted attacks on military computer networks in 2007. These attacks were often successful in impacting US military operations. Of concern to the government isn't the high school hacker having fun, but the concerted Internet attacks that are coming out of China. In the last three months, attacks against the US government from China have tripled. The Chinese cyber warfare units have already penetrated the US military's unclassified but sensitive IP router network (NIPRNET) and have designed software to disable it in time of conflict.

The Chinese have developed a very sophisticated and advanced capability to attack and degrade US and European computer networks and it is time that western nations recognize the threat. This threat is not only to the military, but to commercial, financial and energy networks. The actions of the Chinese cyber warriors in penetrating and stealing data from foreign nations have crossed the boundary of acceptable international behavior during peace time. It is time for the US and Europe to take strong diplomatic actions to halt and control the cyber warfare actions of the Chinese military.

Michael E. Bennett has over 25 years of experience in federal government telecommunications and information technology systems. He is currently the operations officer for a Department of Defense organization that provides worldwide telecommunications for the US military. Mr. Bennett's expertise covers a wide area of disciplines to include broadband, SONET, ATM, DWDM, fiber optics and satellite communications. Mr. Bennett is a 1981 graduate of the University of Maryland and holds a Masters of Science degree in Telecommunications from the University of Denver.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年8月30日星期四

7 Secrets To Better Bible Reading

The Bible is a work of art. Actually, it is many works of art - it's a portable, multi-media art collection. At one end of the gallery, the panoramic vistas of Creation, Cain and Abel, The Deluge, and The Tower of Babel. At the other end, the psychotic paranoia of John's surreal dream-scapes. For him, the serpent in the garden of Eden has morphed in to a fearsome dragon. There are simple portraits, like that of Ruth, hung alongside rolling dioramas - a crowd of 3 million marching through the Red Sea, a wall of water on either side, congregated at the foot of a volatile mountain, and encamped out in the wilderness. There are sections of scripture cinematic in scope: Compare the assassination scenes during Michael's initiation as The Godfather, with Solomon's establishing the throne of David (1 Kings 2). Or, see how cleverly John juxtaposes the courage of Jesus with the denial of Peter (John 18). Imagine the camera flying low over a camp of 185,000 dead Assyrians. Even the one genuine historical narrative is presented as a thrilling mystery: Who will succeed to the throne of David when the Queen is barren? (2 Samuel 6 - 1 Kings 2:46)

Despite all of this, owning a Bible is not to everyone's taste, let alone reading the thing. Here are 7 secrets that might make reading and understanding the Bible a whole lot easier.

1. The Bible is life

The Bible is not just the myths, legends, and history of the nation of Israel, it is a cross-section of life. In some ways Israelite actions, customs, and beliefs might be unique, but very often what is portrayed is distinctly universal. The Israelites looked back on their monarchy and believed it was chosen and appointed by God. This is no different from any other monarchy that exists today - they all consider their rulership to be a divine right. Wars are fought by nations with the belief that God is on their side - exactly as it was the with the Israelite nation.

Whether the men and women in the Bible are real or imaginary, mythical or legendary, elaborations or exact representations, they can still be viewed (in the words of James 5:17) as people, "with feelings like ours." The prophet Samuel had to cope with being handed over to the temple at a very young age; is it any wonder Solomon had multiple wives and concubines with a father like David; how can Samson be viewed as anything other than the prototype of a suicide bomber? How does Paul cope with the reality of watching a young man getting his head staved in with rocks?

There is not wisdom on every page - but neither is there no wisdom at all. Just as in life, many men have uttered a lot of words on a variety of subjects, and it is up to us to sift through and glean the best.

2. The Bible is aetiological

What is the name of your town? How did it get that name? How did a particular custom or ritual come about? Aetiology is the study of origins, or cause. All this means is that you can often find the source of the Bible account at the end of the story - "That is why the name of this city is Beersheba, down to this day." (Genesis 26:33) This happens to a greater or lesser degree right throughout the Scriptures, from the Old Testament and on into the New. For example, Acts 1:18 and 19 is aetiological.

"Father, why is this place called Akeldama?"

"Well, son, the betrayer of our Lord (spit, spit) got just what was coming to him. It was a comedy of errors, no less. He was so filled with remorse and self-loathing that he went to hang himself from a tree, but when he let go, the branch broke. Not only that, he had picked a tree on a precipice so that when the branch snapped he pitched head foremost and he noisily burst on the rocks below so that all his intestines poured out."

"Ooh, juicy!"

"I know. So they called it Akeldama, which means 'Field of Blood'. Now, ask me about that crazy ritual that takes place over in Shiloh each year where the men all hide in the bushes and then jump out and chase the girls about, that's a real treat." (Judges chapters 19-21)

Sometimes a story might arise from a saying. An example of this can be found in John chapter 9. By the end of the first century there was a popular saying - something akin to, "There's none so blind as them who think they can see," a forerunner to von Goethe's, "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." With this saying in mind, the writer of John's gospel fashions a wonderful account of the healing of a blind man. It starts with the hilarious picture of a man stumbling forward with clay caked on his eyes. He is crying out, "Help me. Tell me where is the Pool of Siloam. I cannot see." And all along the way, wags are laughing and pointing, "Of course you can't see, you have clay caked on your eyes." The dialogue that develops between this man and the religious leaders is a piece of pitch perfect humour which effortlessly segues from a discussion about physical blindness to a serious commentary on spiritual blindness, culminating in the climax of the Pharisees asking Jesus, "We are not blind also are we?" Drum-roll, please...

3. The Bible is history written in hindsight

There was not a period of some several thousand years when God was actively involved with a single nation by means of dialogue, signs, miracles, and prophecy. As it is now, it was then. Just as men can look back today and speculate on God's involvement in matters, so they did then.

It was always written by someone who was looking back at events and making an interpretation of those events. It was not written chronologically. The first five books of the Bible contain at least three versions of the same period of time, written from different religious and political perspectives, centuries apart.

Jewish writers were not afraid of indulging in a spot of historical revisionism. Because things didn't turn out quite as Jeremiah imagined they would, Deuteronomy contains at least one rewrite, woven through the original document. Compare also the two histories of the monarchy: First and Second Chronicles is a re-appraisal of 1 Samuel through 2 Kings more or less stripped of any mention of a separate Israelite nation.

Further reading: Richard Elliot Friedman, Who Wrote The Bible

4. The Bible never foretells the future

We have prophets today. They are the political critics, the journalist, the blogger, and the trend analyst. It was Jeremiah who bigged them up, and that's because he viewed himself as one - but he did himself a serious disservice when he attempted to predict the future, and the man he pinned his hopes on got pinned by an arrow.

The Bible is not a book of prophecy in the sense that it foretells the future. Any utterance which appears to be a prediction about the future either an event that occurred at the time, or it is an interpretation of events: This is how something turned out, therefore someone must have said that this is how something would turn out. For example, by the time of King Josiah fifteen generations have ruled in the family line of David. From that standpoint it becomes easy for Jeremiah to have Nathan tell David, "Your house and your kingdom shall endure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever," way back in 2 Samuel 7:16. Red faces all around, and a hasty re-write called for, when Babylon wipes out the last Judean ruler several years after Josiah.

When the writer of Deuteronomy has Moses saying, "And when the Lord your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, with great and goodly cities, which you did not build, and houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, and cisterns hewn out, which you did not hew, and vineyards and olive trees, which you did not plant, and when you eat and are full, then take heed lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage," they had already done this. They had already marched into cities, towns and villages and slaughtered men, women, and children, as well as livestock. In order to absolve themselves of the horror of hacking people down in cold blood, they made themselves believe it was God's blessing. Their rich spiritual heritage was mired in blood. It was something to be ashamed of. Yet, here they were saying that it was God's will - his reward for their faith.

The nation's rise or demise was not anything to do with God's blessing or not. It came down to the straightforward law of political existence: If you feel fine about walking into someone's town, obliterating the townsfolk and living in their houses and off their land, you better make damn sure you live life looking over your shoulder, because eventually someone bigger and stronger is going to do the same to you. Jesus put it much more succinctly: "All those who live by the sword, will die by the sword."

This ability to look back on events, and to write into the narrative an assumption that somehow things were foretold, reached a logical climax when a whole mythology was constructed around one man based entirely on verses of scripture that had already had a fulfilment. They revolved almost exclusively around two events which were either unverifiable, or highly charged emotionally - his birth and his death. By doing this, they invented their promised Messiah. This carpenter was very likely not even from Nazareth. This town was probably fixated upon because it allowed for a clever play on words. Matthew 2:23 informs us that Jesus' family eventually settled in Nazareth so that "what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, 'He shall be called a Nazarene.'" Nowhere do the prophets declare that he shall be called a Nazarene. However, Isaiah 11:1 says, "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." The word for "branch" is nezer - and from that the Christians invented the Nazarene.

But then, why should this not be the case? Their whole history is an account of a people who are presented as being stiff-necked and rebellious, but who are unremittingly saved from destruction by their God, usually at the hand of one man who appears out of nowhere and serves as their momentary Messiah. It reeks of entitlement, and could lead to nothing but self-righteousness. This is why the branch of Judaism that blossomed into Christianity eventually reverted to the mean - if indeed it had ever left it - and became itself entitled and self-righteous.

5. God is not vengeful

Woe betide any who find themselves on the wrong side of God. He brings a deluge to wipe out every living thing. He sends plagues and maledictions. He opens up the ground and swallows people down - whole families, young and old alike. Throughout the scriptures, God is terrifying. He is angry, vengeful, and destructive.

Actually, he is none of these things. Any death and destruction carried out is either exaggeration, it never happened, or it was done by man and later ascribed to God. If tribes went in to Canaan and committed what can only be described as an act of ethnic cleansing, then it was done by men. On looking back from a vantage point of a nation in the throes of success (ie. David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, or Solomon's peaceful reign) it was seen to be Jehovah of Armies fighting on Israel's behalf. Man was not made in the image of God - more likely, God was made in the image of man.

6. The Bible is layogenic

If on occasion the Scriptures seem to be repeating themselves; if the narrative seems to trip along with stuttering sentences; if it appears to contradict itself within the framework of a few chapters or verses, it is because it does repeat itself. It is the same story lifted from different sources and eventually gathered together and expertly woven into one piece.

Layogenic is a Tagalog word which is best summed up by this quote from the 1995 film, Clueless:

Tai: Do you think she's pretty?

Cher: No, she's a full-on Monet.

Tai: What's a monet?

Cher: It's like a painting, see? From far away, it's OK, but up close, it's a big old mess.

Being an amalgamation of multiple sources, the Bible often looks better from a distance than it does up close. There are times when pieces need to be read as a whole. Read the book of Judges in one sitting. Don't get bogged down in the brush-strokes. Enjoy it as a thrill a minute, and stand back from it to see a piece which tells of faith in a God who forgives sins unconditionally. No matter what the people did, they could turn back to God and he would be there for them.

Look at John chapters 13 to 17. It needs to be read in one go, from beginning to end. What you get is repetition, contradiction, deviation, and the utter conviction that there is no way Jesus said these things all in one sitting, if he even said them at all. It appears to be gathered together by someone who hasn't bothered to go back and re-read. If ever a gospel needed a proof-reader. Great swathes of paint, all of a similar hue, daubed onto a canvass with reckless abandon...But step back a few feet and take the piece in as a whole. Jesus is basically saying, "I and the Father are one, and if you would only listen to what I'm saying, you could be one with the father also."

7. The Bible contains a hidden message

It is a hidden message because it has to be found in among all these words; among these strange and other-worldly happenings, these mythical creatures and legendary characters. It is not there because it was magically placed there by a crafty, cryptic God who liked to write things in code. It is there because it is a fact of life that could not avoid finding its way into the narrative.

The hidden message can be summed up in one word: Redemption. Or, as Jesus put it, "Your sins are forgiven." A couple of Bible writers came close to uncovering it - Genesis chapters 2 and 3, for example; whoever wrote Isaiah 40-66 probably knew what he was talking about; collecting the stories of the Judges was pretty inspired. Whatever the case, Jesus saw right through the whole she-bang. He summed up the hidden message and formed it into the key centre-piece of the whole Bible - the illustration of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). That is the concealed treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44). You buy the whole field. The treasure is hidden, you purchase the whole field. Don't sweat needing to have the whole of the Bible when the buried treasure takes up such a small part of it. It's all of a piece. It's a beautiful field - a work of art. And, you know where the precious gem is.

Jesus was not teaching Christianity - he was not even teaching a Christianity that could be interpreted on an individual basis, whereby all those deserving would have the holy spirit poured out upon them, thus becoming "anointed ones". Jesus appealed to individuals. He told them their sins were forgiven, that the kingdom of God was "within you". He was advocating a relationship with God that was already present within each and every one of us, if we could only move the mountain. Sins are forgiven, not by fulfilling some requirements, or sticking to some law, but because God understands you. You don't understand you, and you need to. When we understand, we are in the same place God is. We cross the chasm. We become one with Him.

Rory Sullivan writes for A carpenter from Nazareth, a website dedicated to helping people unearth the spirituality within.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

America - How Do We Stack Up?

How does America compare with other nations on important and trivial issues? Not too great according to Pocket World in Figures published by The Economist Magazine.

Russia is the largest.

Nepal-China has the tallest mountain (Everest).

Africa has the greatest river (the Nile).

North Africa has the largest desert (Sahara).

Central Asia has the largest lake (Caspian Sea).

Greenland is the biggest island.

China has the most people.

Uganda has the fastest growing population.

Folks in Niger are the most sexy based on fertility rates.

Latvia has the most women per man. The United Arab Emirates have the fewest.

The oldest people live in Japan.

BUT WAIT! We've got the most migrants!

Iran has the most refugees. (Mostly from the utopia we created in Iraq?)

Japan has the biggest city. Niger has the fastest growing city.

Switzerland has the highest quality of life.

Luxembourg has the highest GDP per person and the highest purchasing power.

Norway has the highest Human Development Index.

Hong Kong has the highest Economic Freedom Index.

Equatorial Guiana has the highest economic growth.

The Euro Area is the biggest exporter.

As for balance of payments, Japan wins and we come in last.

Well, it goes on and on.

We have the greatest production capacity and wealth. But how long will that last with Asia snapping at our heels?

Why does America with all of its wealth lag in health areas even though it is highest in health spending?

China has the largest army and North Korea beats us big if you count the reserves. No wonder we are happy to attack only those with smaller defenses then ours.

What makes a county truly great. I'm not the expert being just the Hack Writer, but the following comes to mind:

1. Taking care of the land, air, and water that we have inherited. We are not even close to the top in this area.

2. Securing our country including our borders, not allowing anyone to cross the border illegally. By the way, all we need to do this is to have the citizenry check the credential of immigrants carefully and not to employ those who are suspect. If there is no work, there is little migration.

3. Teaching our children to avoid the evils of this world, to seek education, and to live moral and productive lives. Such depends on the family more than on educators who seem to fail at times in these matters. Couples need to stick together and avoid divorce and separation.

4. Providing a strict law enforcement system that works. Putting drug traffickers under Marshall law with speedy trials and hard punishment including the death penalty for those that will not change their ways.

5. Provide honest and competent government for all citizens.

When I look at things the way they are I see gross failure on our part. Calling ourselves the Greatest Country in the World and setting ourselves up as the Great Example for all other countries to follow is ridiculous propaganda and just alienates us from the world. Having said that, we could become the Greatest Country in the World is we had someone to look up to.

Well, let's start with Switzerland.

They seem to be happy, efficient, healthy, rich, and free from war.

The End

More info: http://www.InternetBusinessToolCenter.com

Business web site: http://www.AAAFlagpoles.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

What's the Best Carrier For Your Smartphone?

You might have seen these on TV or on YouTube, but there's no denying that cell phone service providers are on an all out war with each other for your subscription. Each one of them deals their own low blows all the while stating that they provide the best service there is. The people that suffer the most are the subscribers that want to know which one actually is the best. The problem with trying to marketing something is that you over exaggerate the facts so much so that you don't get the right facts and you don't get to see the downside of subscribing to a single carrier.

What's the real difference between and Verizon? Which one offers the best features for your smartphone? I'm personally tired of the Luke Wilson ads because they seem kind of sad on AT&T's behalf. They're a decent carrier (from what I hear from user feedback) but they get a lot of bad rep because of what happened with the iPhone. If you care to take a look at the numbers, the iPhone is still the leading smartphone brand and AT&T is the leading carrier in this sense. Other than bad signals in certain areas and a few anomalies, you can still be happy with your coverage. Verizon and the Android are close up and comers.

Android sales don't pull numbers like the iPhone does, but it's trying to steal away some of the thunder that iPhone's been swaggering. Verizon's "There's a map" for that ads really are spot on; so much so that AT&T wants to pull them off the air. It's the choice carrier for smartphones that don't venture out of the U.S. but it comes at a heftier price tag. These two are the choice carriers because they have exclusivity to the best smartphones. A lot of iPhones have been jailbroken because users want to keep the phone but they don't want to stick with AT&T, but as a precaution it's simply a lot better to not have a jailbroken iPhone because you make it vulnerable to hacking.

There are bound to be places that have no signal, get used to it. You can expect run into that problem from both carriers.

The author of this article, Jego Goldstein, is a Computer Analyst who has been testing and developing software for several years. He advocates the need for computer literacy in society and strives to make technology more user friendly. One of his latest projects is My PC Tweaks, a comprehensive and easy to follow guide to understanding your computer.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年8月29日星期三

Cambodia: A Glimpse Into One Uncivilized Action

Introduction

"To be Cambodian is to be the warrior, the creator and the builder of Angkor Wat. More accurately, to be a Cambodian is to be a descendant of a people that produced architectural masterpieces of the Angkor era which rival the achievements of any of the ancient civilizations".

Dr. Seanglim Bit.

Cambodia has been deemed as an "arsenal of political unrest" by domestic, regional and international perspectives. Nearly 100 years of French protectorate, American bombardments, Pol Pot regime followed by Vietnamese invasion, eternally sandwiched between the two more powerful neighbours, and internal conflicts between leaders, all contributed to tragedy of Cambodia over the recently past few decades.

A genuine Cambodia has just been emerged, following the result of United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) that organized general election of May 1993 (Senate, 2003, p. 2). A Constitutional Assembly was then inaugurated on 14 June 1993 under the highest Chairmanship of His Majesty King Rorodom Sihanouk (Senate, 2003, p. 2). But, does this mean Cambodia is now the island of peace? Domestic violence or family violence is now one of the most acute enemies to Cambodian development. During the Domestic Violence Awareness Day on 17 December 1996, domestic violence has been recognized a serious problem globally. Other barriers to Cambodia's development have been well documented, and are beyond this short essay.

Resurgent Cambodia must now face with the resurgent challenge: domestic violence (family violence). What does domestic violence mean? Why does it prevail in Cambodian families? What are the repercussions? Would there be any measure to tackle? And if yes, what the measures should be? Who are eligible to get involve in the eradication process? Women are nearly always the aggregated victims of domestic violence, but there have also occurred cases that men are the sufferers of violence committed by their wives. To better understand Cambodia's domestic violence is to view the agenda from the Cambodian insights.

What does it mean?

Violence is translated into Khmer (Cambodian) language as "Hoengsa". Violence is defined as aggression, harassment, bad treatment or abuse (Dr. Sokhom, 1999, p. 7). Family is "Krousar" in Cambodian language. The term family is defined by Buddhist context as a group of family members including parents and children in Cambodian context, thus family violence (domestic violence) refers to any physical, emotional, sexual and economic aggressive and violent acts that a member of a family commits on another member with the aim to increase their power over the victims. It also refers to self-violation acts due to aggression from other family members (Dr. Sokhom, 1999, p. 8). In Cambodian language, the word "family" signifies both nuclear and extended family. Though other civilizations may embrace slightly different connotations for the term "family".

So far violent acts in Cambodia include: cursing, insulting, battering with arms or legs, scattering acid, scratching with razors, hacking with big knives or axes, slitting throats, clubbing with wooden sticks, stabbing, shooting with guns, clubbing with metal sticks or chains, throwing dishes and sickle, burning with oil or petrol, chasing to hack, grenade attacks, poisoning, raping, manacling, typing to pillars, beating and tying upside down, striking the head against the floor tiles, selling one's own children, threats, running away, strangling, pulling glass, pulling and pushing from the house. Whereas, suicide cases include swallowing various kinds of drugs and hanging (Dr. Sokhom, 1999, p. 9).

Domestic violence often occurs between two parties (husband and wife) or three parties (husband, first wife, and step-wife) and between other members in the family and self-violence (suicide) (Dr. Sokhom, 1999, p. 44).

69 percent of teenagers considered physical abuse, domestic violence. 21 percent regarded threatening and bullying, 12 percent thought mental exploitation, and 8 percent classified destroying the home's property, as domestic violence-1.

Why existence?

Probably no country in this world that changed the forms of governance too fast likes Cambodia. With a protracted and unique history of its own, we can't draw analysis of the roots of domestic violence to the past one thousand years. This would derail or protract the essay from its overall context. Thus recent history would be satisfactorily adequate.

Princess Sisowat Santa, member of the committee of social work and women's affairs and health, stated that, "We can't single-mindedly focus on violence, that won't solve the problem, because Cambodia has experienced series of changes during the first general election, organized by UNTAC. This election has brought changes to political stances, society, so some cultural integration from all countries has confused us in the era that we haven't yet been confident of ourselves. One more thing is, too rapid economic absorption that has brought difficulties in prevention. This economic absorption has negatively modernized the people, they don't know what are theirs and what belongs to other countries, and so they always crave for more and more. These have brought conflicts, jealousies, ........

Before the 1993 election, our country was isolated, and after the election, we have become internationally recognized and became member of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) and recently we became member of World Trade Organization (WTO). She also added that, Pol Pot regime destroyed the whole society; brothers and sisters, children, so we are new and weak to accept the new culture in today's world. These evolutions are obstacles to all the people, especially to the women and children that they are the immediate targets of domestic violence". Dr. Khlot Thida in her Basics of World Ethics claimed two points; one is that, after the war people always dramatically lose moralities, and second is that other fields can be fixed faster, but the fields of philosophy and knowledge are extremely convoluted to recover. In addition, In Cambodian Culture Since 1970, the authors proved that language does change in the course of a revolution, either by a process of evolution or by conscious reform, but it remains in some sense the same language (Ebihara, Mortland & Ledgerwood, 1994, p. 106).

The catastrophic events of 1970s have transformed Cambodia that once was a "gentle land of smiling people" into the arena for the most terrifying images and events produced anywhere during the second half of this century (Dr. Bit, 1991, p. xiii). During the courses of the war, millions of lives, especially the intellectuals were lost, displaced and migrated abroad, enormous cultural heritages were devastated, people's mentalities have been gigantically traumatized; from gentle and loving compassionate to violent and impulsive. Most astoundingly, power has come to be understood, that it came from the barrel of the gun, which the leaders were determined to hold. Governments have never been "governments by discussion", but "the governments by the law of the jungle". This is the bad role model for the people and later generations.

After conducting an explanatory study examining the nature of domestic violence, a first report, entitled, "Plates in a Basket Will Rattle, Domestic Violence in Cambodia", published by one non-governmental organization, named Project Against Domestic Violence (PADV). The study shows that domestic violence in Cambodia is very serious and that victims of violence between husbands and wives rarely seek help and get relief. Although most members of society are aware of religious morality and law, some still commit intentional injuries or offenses. Cursing, defaming or causing physical injury on other people are considered offenses. By contrast, domestic violence, husbands battering wives, wives battering husband, parents beating or cursing children are considered normal within family life in Cambodia, and the committers can go unpunished (Dr. Sokhom, 1999, p. 9).

Portrayal of Domestic Violence in Cambodian Newspapers also reports that among the 183 cases, 90 cases mentioned interventions, 62 cases mentioned no interventions, and 31 cases were unclear. Furthermore, local authorities rarely intervenes that there was only one case among all the cases (Dr. Sokhom, 1999, p. 30). Interventions from police, neighbours, relatives, and communities' authorities are thought as meddling into the internal affairs of the families. An opera, entitled, "The Returned Atmosphere (Chumnau Vilvign in Khmer)" by radio 102MHZ of the Women Media Centre of Cambodia, shows that victims sometimes condense the conventions, because they have mentalities that "every family generally has domestic violence and remind the metaphor of plates in a basket will rattle. Cultural impunity has dramatically amplified the numbers of domestic violence in Cambodia.

Much of Cambodian literature edifies Cambodian women to unconditionally tolerate with prevalent domestic violence committed by their husbands. In order to preserve the qualities of virtuous Khmerness, Cambodian women must not only know how to keep order in a household, how to cook delicious food, wash clothes, take care of babies and other household drudgeries, but also they have to wordlessly obey their husbands' orders. In the story, "virtuous woman (Srey Kroup Leakkh in Khmer)", activities of the virtuous Khmer woman are obviously showed. The virtuous woman (Srey Kroup Leakkh) in the story always wordlessly obey her husband, even to the point sacking out of the boat to reunite with another new man by her husband-2.

Dr. Seanglim stated similar things that in Cambodian families the males (husbands) are always the heads of the families with well-established legal rights over family matters. Females are expected to be loyal and submit to their husbands' authorities. There is almost no story that presents the female character as the revolutionary or visionary, that I think would be good role model for the Cambodian women. Due to unlimited authority of the husband, woman (wife) is sometimes regarded as comfort woman (a euphemism for sex slave) by her husband. These traditions even ensure the graver numbers of domestic violence.

Absence of domestic violation law is also one of the most effective ways to facilitate domestic violence. In Cambodia, any atrocious accomplishment that is not stated as "an offense" in the law is generally contemplated legal and morally acceptable. Most of the committers deem their violence towards their wives, children and other families' member, not only legal but also morally acceptable. Though some people know that domestic violence is an offense, they still can commit that since, because know that they won't be seriously punished. Descartes said that he compassionately loves the educated, but he fears that those educated don't practise their knowledge.

Her Excellency, Keo Sovannroth, representative from Sam Ransy Party and Princess Sisowat Santa, member of the committee of social work and women's affairs and health, concurrently asserted that lack of education and poverty do contribute to domestic violence. On the similar track, Dr. Seanglim wrote in his The Warrior Heritage, "It is the poor who have no voice, who have little understanding of the ego issues involved. They pay the cost of the failure with their blood and their suffering (Dr. Bit, 1991, p. xi). Her Excellency, Keo Sovannroth, proved that people would loss ethics, due to poverty. Most of the time in Cambodia, lack of education is inflicted on the poor or those living under the poverty-line. Poverty would negatively attack the mentalities of the people; hopelessness, emptiness, stress, impulsiveness, naivety, etc. These emotions would make those poor, low-educated people might view domestic violence one of the ways to tackle their predicaments.

Women are locally and internationally given equal rights to men in every circumstance. Universal Declaration on Human Right, woman enjoy right to equal right (chapter 7), right to life and personal security (chapter 3), right to evade from torture (chapter 5), right to liberty (chapter 9), right to speech and self-expression (chapter 19), right to decent livelihood (chapter 25)...etc. But imagine! How could those women enjoy their rights, whilst they are uneducated and starving?

1- Reasons Given For Violence

Drunkenness 21

Quarrel 26

Adultery (husband) 12

Adultery (wife) 3

Jealousy 10

Anger 18

Debt 18

Mother's orders 1

Disagreement 6

Gambling 3

Scolding 9

Battery 6

Others 31

Unknown reasons 17

Source: Dr. Hean Sokhom (1999). Portrayal of Domestic Violence in Cambodian Newspapers. JSRC Printing House, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Annex A, Page 50. Examination of the newspapers collected by Project Against Domestic Violence (PAVD) in 1996-1997.

The impacts on children

Not only on children, domestic violence brings serious consequences to many groups of people, as well as to the process of social development. But for the scope of this essay, I pick up only one group of people, I think, are the gravest victims.

In Cambodian perspective, family is highly value, as said in Introduction to Sociology; family provides most of us with love and affection (Coser. L.A., Nock S. and other, 1987, p. 324). Dr. Bit, likewise, has similar sense; it is the family structure which supplies the basic social organization in society, and in rural areas is the economic unit as well. The bonds between family members are close-knit and involve lifelong rights and obligations. In contrast, negative psychological, emotional, health, and economic effects are also likely to be experienced by children living in an environment of domestic violence-3.

Originated with their innocent minds, they can't they distinguish what is right and what is wrong. Psycho-clinically, children from the age of zero to the age of twelve or thirteen are the most receptive, so they would view their present families' circumstances as the ways of lives. In the 183 newspaper articles of domestic violence, 79 cases were seen to have negative effects on children, while the other 104 cases did not mention any clear effects or consequences (Dr. Sokhom, 1999, p. 30). Domestic violence could make the children orphans, because of their parent's divorces. Culturally in Cambodia, mother and father make up one solid pillar in the family to bring up the children, but imagine how could those orphans be talented bamboo shoots, if they are frail from the beginning. Plato said that the beginning is the most important part of the work. The orphaned children's reputation is usually to be forever tainted (Dr. Sokhom, 1999, p. 31).

Conclusion

From an oasis of peace and prosperity in the war-torn Indochina of the 1960s to an island of bloodshed, Cambodia must need more efforts than other countries regionally and globally. Domestic violence is not seen as a rigorous barrier to Cambodia's development, but insightful study over the issue, has shown that it does. To effectively tackle the problem, the government and other development agencies must thoroughly be conscious of the roots of domestic violence first.

Domestic violence has somehow been the instinctive behaviour of those uninformed people, and if there is no any measure, they still misunderstand it as families' routine rows. Lee Kuan Yew said that sound value if rooted early in life could later resist contrary influences and pressures. Roman Catholic priests, if entrusted with a child for the first 12 years of his life, could usually ensure the child would remain Catholic for life. Ideology of gender balance and violence-hatred should be enrooted as earliest as possible to children's life, so that liberalism is set in their mindset in their remaining lives. Dearth of education is also one of the contributions to domestic violence. It is extremely common for adult Khmer women to say that they were taken out of school because their parents feared that if they leaned to read and write they would write letter to boys (Ebihara, Mortland & Ledgerwood, 1994, p. 125). Such a barbaric notion should be totally eliminated. (Lanqueur and Bubin 1989). Not only about childhood education, poverty, adults' dearth of education, forced marriages, nonexistence of domestic violence law and some other causes of domestic violence must be fixed as well to diminish the soaring numbers of domestic violence.

A Chinese Saying asserts, "The sparrow though small has all five organs". A poor, uneducated woman, though underestimated, she has the desires, temptation, dignity and irreplaceable instinct like the others who are seen potential. The difference is just; the poor, uneducated woman has no opportunity to express herself.

"Abraham Lincoln said that our nation could not exist half-slave and half-free. We know that a peaceful world cannot long exist one-third rich and two-thirds hungry".

Lanqueur and Bubin 1989.

Contact: 855 11 268 445, vichekalay@yahoo.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Cobra in the House!

I distinctly remember that day, it was my rest day. So I hopped on a bus and went over to my parents' place, 40 kms. from where I worked. I was still single at the time.

I usually went over on my rest days whenever I can because it was kind of boring at the bunkhouse where I stayed; my housemates were either asleep in their respective rooms or out on duty at the copper smelting plant. So, there I was, at my parents', watching a movie on VHS. Midway through the movie though, the sound of breaking glass at the bar behind me "interrupted" Steven Seagal, just as he was about to deliver a deadly blow to the bad guys- I had to press "pause" on the remote.

My younger sister, who was in the kitchen at the time, heard it too, so she went over to where the sound came from, to investigate. A few seconds later, she yelled, "Cobra!"

I leapt from my seat and ran to get my late grandpa's machete. It was a souvenir from world war II, given to him by some G.I. before they headed back to the USA. I hurriedly went back towards the cobra, it was more than two feet long, its head as big as my thumb. It slithered towards the staircase. I hacked at it, aiming for the middle of its body, but I missed, breaking the rusty machete in two near its handle in the process. Son*@#*%ch! It stood up, its hood widened in the process, and to my surprise, it hissed like a cornered cat!

Ever broken out in a cold sweat? And you feel the back of your shirt is wet, heavy with cold perspiration, and you suddenly feel something funny in the pit of your stomach? That's how I felt as I faced the cobra, hissing angrily at me.

"Get the Baygon spray..." I said to my sister as calmly as I could, meanwhile, I had grabbed a pushbroom's stick and kept it between me and the cobra. She handed it to me a few seconds later and I sprayed at the cobra's eyes. It hid under the piano and coiled its body, ready to strike at any moment. I aimed for the head and emptied the Baygon's contents while my other hand stabbed its body with the stick.

Suddenly it rushed towards me, I aimed for the head this time and whacked it with the broomstick. I hit its tail instead, but enough to slow it down. I cannot recall how many times I struck at it out of fear; I once read in the Reader's Digest that once you kill a cobra, your image will be embedded in its dead eyes, its mate will get to see it and hunt you down. It must be why I beat its head into a pulp.

How it got inside the house, I'll never know.

Edwin Kierulf

If you like this article and want to read more from me, just type " ormocanon ko bai" in your browser.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Criticizing a Message of Hope?

Having read the transcript of President Obama's speech, I think he puts forward a great case for necessary reform and policy changes. Issues such as health care reform, educational funding and reform, and a commitment to promoting renewable energy were the highlights of his speech. He also touched on taking action to stabilize banks, helping credit worthy borrowers find affordable refits, and regulatory reform. All of these are issues that have been staring us in the face for some time, but have not had the attention or commitment behind solutions to them to tackle them. Additionally, President Obama stated his support for the US soldiers fighting for us around the world, promising better pay and benefits, both before they leave the service and after.

He even does a good job for justifying the bulk of the Stimulus Package, pointing out highlights that were overlooked in the Republican attempt to showcase the pork. He drew attention to the push for multiple forms of alternative energy, spending on infrastructure, middle and lower class tax cuts, tuition tax credits, and extended unemployment and health care coverage benefits. While helping those in trouble now will help in the short term, the thing I like most about this plan is that it does not ignore long term interests in order to score a few immediate brownie points. The appointing of an Inspector General and oversight lead by Joe Biden will address some of the abuses this kind of spending can create.

The thing that impressed me most all about his speech, other than his focus on long term solutions, was his lack of fear in telling Wall Street that he really didn't care what they thought about his programs. He made it clear that he is not going to allow the markets to dictate what US domestic policy should be, sacrificing constructive solutions for the future for short term earnings and gains.

The Republican's official response delivered by Governor Jindal was predictable. He criticized the President's plan and initiatives, pointing out the deficit that will be caused by the plan and bemoaning the expansion of the role of government. He echoed the classic Republican battle cry of less government. House GOP leader John Boehner, while also promoting "smaller government", was more complimentary. Boehner stated that he felt that the President made "a compelling case" and that it was very close to a speech that he himself would give.

I find the Republican call for smaller, less intrusive government and criticism of deficit spending to be disingenuous at best, downright hypocritical at worst. This is the same party who, when they had control of the White House and Congress, voted to expand the government by creating new departments such as Homeland Security instead of revamping and creating cooperation between the existing CIA and the FBI. This was the same party that hacked away at basic civil rights by creating and passing the Patriot Act which allows the government unprecedented and unfettered access to private information and removes the need for transparency in judicial proceedings. Your library book checkout list, your credit card charges, your internet usage- all is subject to government monitoring. You could literally be picked up and taken away, your home searched, and be held without charge for an unlimited time by approval of an anonymous and untouchable court on only government suspicion of wrongdoing. This is the Republicans version of smaller and less intrusive government?

As for deficit spending, tell me- how have the billions of dollars spent on a war that was initiated on bogus and trumped up information benefited this country and helped our economy? We don't even know what the real tally is to date for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, let alone the future total cost. Despite all the money we've spent, we are losing the war in Afghanistan and have created nothing but long term fiscal commitment and global ill will with the war in Iraq. We are committed to rebuilding Iraq and its infrastructure, spending money on schools, hospitals, roads, police and a security force for the Iraqis when we can't even fund our own. All this for a country that our excessive use of oil helps to make rich, even without our tax dollars going to work for them. Where was the Republican outcry in Congress when we went from a balanced budget to record deficit spending in less than 5 years to make this happen?

And, of course, no Republican in Congress or the White House ever funded any pork projects while they had control... Bridge to Nowhere, anyone?

I won't argue that Obama, his programs, and his Stimulus Plan are perfect. They're not. I won't argue that the Plan is a paragon of targeted and efficient spending. It's not. But do we sit around, take harsh stands, and do nothing? Do we take no action at all because a few in Washington of both parties play the "I'll stroke your back if you stroke mine" game in order to get anything done? Do we stick with the tried and true, even though it's not working, because we have to spend money to invest in what's needed to move to the next level? Do we hold the future hostage just to score a couple of political points or to have a better shot at the next election? I don't think so. And in the privacy of their own hearts, neither do most Congressional Republicans.

Tough times require bold action. Only time will tell if the actions President Obama and the Democratic Congress take will be the right ones and what the cost is if they fail. But what is the cost if we do nothing? President Obama repeatedly struck a note of hope in his speech and a reiteration of his belief in the determination, strength, and drive of the American people. We need to demand those characteristics from not just ourselves, but also from our elected officials. This is a great nation of thinkers and doers. Let's act like it.

Redheads have always been accused of having a temper. This blog is a journey into the mind of a redhead; decide for yourself if we have a temper or are just frustrated by what we see...

http://www.politicalsimpleton.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

I Talk with Herman the Hermit: How to Tell if You are Atheistic?

Folks are always having their faith shaken.

They look at the typhoons, ulcers, bedbug bites, wars, pestilence, and television and say, "God would not put up with all this crap."

I decided to have a chat with Herman Volker Hilton. I heard that the famous hermit was thinking about becoming an atheist and worth looking for. I figured that I could sell any article that came from the interview to Confirmed and Nearly Confirmed Atheists Magazine.

In fact it was the editor of that magazine, Peter Moses Isaac Aaron Greenburg, who gave me Herman's whereabouts.

Before I left the editor's office he said, "Whatever you do, don't tell him I sent you and don't ask him for one of his beers either. He's on Baker Island."

I looked in the CIA's World Fact Book to see exactly where the atoll was. It's halfway between Hawaii and Australia. I thought, That should be easy to find.

Baker Island is uninhabited since they stopped mining the bat poop, or guano as they say in New Mexico. It's a wildlife refuge operated by the Department of the Interior. (It's just like the U.S. Government to have the Department of the Interior stick its nose into the Department of the Exterior's business.)

The Island gets a couple of official visits each year. The Coast Guard and the Department of Interior take turns.

When I got to Baker Island, I found Herman stark naked sitting on a log looking out over the Pacific. His fine red beard was down to his belly, so I figured he'd been there for a while.

He was smoking a corncob pipe and seven bottles of Sam Adams® were cooling in a tub of ice next to him, each bottle within easy reach.

Herman wasn't expecting Taylor Jones, the hack writer, despite the fact that I can show up anywhere that sparks my interest.

He looked up at me with those steel blue eyes and said, "Who in all of God's creations are you? Where did you come from?

Wherever that is, GO BACK!"

I apologized: "Sorry to have startled you, Herman. I hope you didn't spill too much beer."

"There are only two of us on this godforsaken atoll. Who introduced us?"

I was glad that Herman the Hermit had a sense of humor. I decided it was best to lie and said, "I decided to canoe over here from Howland Island. I'm doing a story on Amelia Gerhardt. I though I might find her aircraft here." I decided it better not to mention the editor of Confirmed and Nearly Confirmed Atheists Magazine.

He stood up and pointed back towards the abandoned airstrip. "Look in the brush back there."

I was ecstatic.

He had found her airplane!

I would be famous if I could get back to civilization with color photographs.

I snapped a couple of shots of Herman with my trusty C-3® camera and ran and ran and ran.

Then I looked and looked and looked. I heard a gasoline engine and found that it ran an electrical generator hooked to a refrigerator. I looked in and the fridge was nearly full of Sam Adams®. I didn't dare snitch a beer. I took a bottle of water.

Finally, I decided that I needed more information to find the plane. I walked back in the white-hot, blazing sun to find Herman.

When I found him, he was fishing in the surf. He said, "I figured you would be hungry when you get back. Grab a piece of fish off that hot rock. Don't mess with my beer. I see you've already stolen a bottle of my water."

I sat on my haunches. I learned to do that during the Korean War. You could tell how long a G.I. had been in Korea by how low on his haunches he could sit. The Koreans could put their butts all the way down to the ground. I make it about half way on these old knees.

I drank the water and ate the fish and said, "Couldn't find it?"

He said, "Find what?"

"Amelia's airplane. You said to look--"

"Did I tell you that I had seen the airplane?"

"No."

"Did I tell you that the airplane was in the bushes by the airstrip?"

"Well, no. But you said--"

He had a big fish on and didn't say anything until he had pulled the flipping thing up on the beach. He went crazy. He said, "That's a new personal best!"

I said, "It's what?" He hadn't been away as long as I though he had.

He ignored my comment and gutted the fish. I knew he had jived me about the personal best thing.

Herman studied the stomach contents of the fish with great detail and said, "Look! The famine is going to end."

I said, "That's good news. What famine? You learned that from looking at fish guts?"

"Our famine! We have fish to eat."

I gave him my best look of credulous despair.

He said, "You were assuming again! You'd think you would learn something after almost dieing of heat prostration tramping around on this godforsaken island in this white-hot, tropical sun."

I decided to try to at least salvage my original article idea. I said, "Looks like a storm is brewing. I've got a friend that says that God causes storms, war, and pestilence."

He said, "What storm? What has a storm to do with war and pestilence?"

He had me there.

There was no storm brewing.

Now he was suspicious. That's when he said, "You can blame God for storms and pestilence if you want to, but what good will it do you? It's better to learn what really causes storms and pestilence just like it is good to know what causes smallpox and polio. Then you can do something about it."

I had to agree so I nodded my head. He said, "As for war, like television, that can only be blamed on man."

Well, I didn't have an article. Herman had mentioned God three times. But I was determined to do something of great significance for God and mankind. Herman had inspired me.

The human gnome project is completed.

I decided to look for life on Europa. When I got home, I would call Xrytspet from Fanton in G10009845788899990766.

Pop! There was Xrytspet. She said, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get off this godforsaken atoll with its white-hot, tropical sun."

More info: http://www.InternetBusinessToolCenter.com

Business web site: http://www.AAAFlagpoles.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年8月28日星期二

Wireless Security: 6 Ways to Stop and Catch Hackers and War Drivers

War drivers are in the business of finding wireless access points, documenting them and uploading their locations to the web. Why would someone do this, well for several reasons:

First they want free internet access. Next they could just be war driving as a hobby; finally they could be targeting your network for financial gain.

One of the most asked questions is how do you stop hackers from trying to hack your wireless lan and how to catch them in the act.

Stopping Wardrivers:

1. Use directional antennas: One of the most under stated uses of directional antennas are how they keep your wireless signal within your area of operation. If you are using a Omni directional antenna that is causing half the signal to travel outside your building, you have a major security problem. Also while using your wireless directional antenna turndown transmit power to reduce your signal strength if you can.

2. Blend your wireless antennas into your buildings architecture or keep them low profile. This is not expensive, the whole point is not letting your antennas stick out like a sore thumb so anyone driving by doesn't say, wow they have a wireless network. Once again the best way to stop people from trying to hack your wireless network is to keep it hidden.

3. Use Kismet or Airsnort - Make a cheap wireless Intrusion detection system. Use an older desktop computer install Linux, install a USB wireless adapter or PCI wireless adapter and boom you have your wireless war driver stopper. Both Kismet and airsnort will alert you when wireless clients are probing your network. If a wireless client is using netstumber and not joining networks they will be found by Kismet. Their wireless adapters MAC address will be logged and other details of the operating system. Most of the time these could be false hits but if you notice a pattern of the same MAC address probing networks you could have hacker issues.

4. Security Cameras - No matter how hard you try not to have your signal bleed outside your operations area it will...to a point. Probe your own network as if you were a wardriver. Don't just use a standard wireless adapter to find out where you still can detect your network. You will want to use a highly directional antenna to see how far away you can detect your own network. Once you know your weak points setup some cheap security cameras to monitor those areas.

5. Setup a Honey Pot - Give the Wardriver what they want, a network to hack. Take an access point connect it to a standalone switch with another junk computer connected to that switch. Name the SSID something sounding important like server WLAN and name the computer Database. Finally use a weak password or just leave the access point without any security. Script kiddies who say they "hack networks" really are only connecting to open wireless lans with no security. If you give them a "Important sounding SSID with a "database to hack" this will keep them occupied until you can track them down. There are many honeypot programs free and commercial that will simulate networks or servers but are really just recording all the hackers' information and types of attacks.

6. Use a RADIUS Server - RADIUS servers require Wireless clients to authenticate with a username and password not just with a PSK (Pre- Shared Key). With out a RADIUS server you really don't know who is on your WLAN. With a RADIUS server you know who is accessing your WLAN and when they accessed it. Also a RADIUS server gives you the ability of creating policies for times your WLAN can be accessed and other required security features the wireless clients must have enabled their computers.

Now let's put this all together to catch our hacker. First you are going through your daily routine of checking logs on your Kismet IDS server and you notice the same MAC address probing networks but not joining. Next you check your help tickets and notice that in one area of the building clients were having trouble connecting to the wireless network or they had trouble staying connected.

Flags go up in your head, so you go over to your honeypot server and check that . You notice it was accessed around the same time of the Kismet logs showed a client probing the network. The honey pot recorded the MAC address of the WAR driver and the operating system and the computer name.

Next you check your security cameras for that time but don't really notice anything. So for the next couple days you keep monitoring your honey pot server and watch the hacker try and crack the WLAN and the database server. The whole process of cracking wireless encryption is actually two steps. The first step is gathering enough packets for your cracking program to crack. This whole process of gathering enough packets can takes days or weeks not five minutes. Now once you do have enough packets 64 bit WEP encryption can be cracked in less that five minutes. 128 bit encryption can take many times longer, WPA with TKIP and AES encryption can takes months to crack.

My whole point is that you have some time to catch your hacker because he will be back many times, assuming that you already have at least the basic security features in place.

Now once you have all your logs compiled and your honey pot data you should have a good idea how the hacker behaves. Check your security cameras and you probably notice the same car or person in the area around that time. Take that information to your in house security and tell them to watch for that vehicle or person and call the police.

If you are lucky security or police will spot him and apprehend him. Convicting him or her will be tough but with your compiled logs and video you should have a lot of evidence to help your case.

Simple and secure wireless solutions. Join the most popular wireless networking newsletter on the internet at http://www.wirelessninja.com Keep your home and family safe with Ninja certified wireless hidden cameras [http://www.wirelessninja.com/wireless_hidden_cameras.htm]

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Writing 101: The Short Story

The most difficult and easiest task of all writing is the Short Story. It's easy if you have a great idea. It's impossible if you don't. To me the best short story ever written is The Book of Job. The most beautiful short story is The Book of Ruth. The best modern short story is Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea.

Now you will say, The Old Man and the Sea is a short novel. Well you are right and I'm right. Let's keep it that way so that we remain friends. The Old Man and the Sea has the elements needed in a good short story except as you said, it's too long if you put a length limit on short stories. My novels are "short" stories if you compare them based only on length to War and Peace. They do not have the elements of a short story. Well, maybe the first chapter of Revenge on the Mogollon Rim does.

In a novel you can wonder hither and yawn and your readers will not only enjoy it, but they will forgive you. In the short story, you must stick to the point. The "point" is the whole purpose of the short story.

Edgar Allen Poe was the greatest writer from Boston. I put it that way as to not offend the other greatest writers. I hope it doesn't offend Poe. I don't want him haunting me every night. Some of his poems are short stories that he didn't stretch out. His short stories are weird but poignant. He invented the detective story.

Poe was found delirious in a Baltimore gutter and died on October 7, 1849 (see http://www.online-literature.com/poe/). Also, Hemingway shot himself up the road a few miles from here. One mustn't take short story writing too seriously. That is why I've remained a hack writer. I call myself "Taylor Jones, the hack writer" to remind me of that fact.

Hemingway learned his writing techniques from the Kansas City Star. He said, "Those were the best rules I ever learned for the business of writing. I've never forgotten them." Here are the rules: short sentences, short paragraphs, active verbs, authenticity, compression, clarity and immediacy. (See http://www.lostgeneration.com/childhood.htm.) Go sit in a corner and memorize these rules. You will need them to write a good short story.

A short story is usually less than 35,000 words (a good deal less). It combines economy with unity. I know this is true because my old college text says so. Economy means it is short. Long character descriptions are out. Long scene descriptions are out. Please, no panoramic war scenes. Unity means that you don't leave anything "important" out. It must be there in brief form or implied. If I say a man is a railroad worker, I don't have to put him in overalls, do I?

You must remember emphasis and subordination. My old text says so. In other words, "What's hot and what's not?" Emotions, settings, the theme (only one allowed), must be fused snugly together. Here are some examples:

The Book of Ruth: A clever lady snags a husband.

Heart of Darkness: A weird jungle tale by Joseph Conrad. Speaking of MOOD! The horror!

Miss Brill: Katherine Mansfield tells of an old lady losing her self esteem due to thoughtless comments of youngsters. This story is sad.

The Killers: Hemingway's famous story about how Nick Adams is more concerned about death by assassination then is the elected victim.

For Esmé-with Love and Squalor: The story about a little girl and a soldier. You must read this story by J. D. Salinger. Have a hankerchef at the ready.

The Book of Job: The devil picks on God's servant, Job.

Let's write a short story now.

First, take an idea, hook one end to the shady side of your barn and the other end to your mule walking south. Your idea is a wide rubber band. As the mule walks and stretches the band, the band narrows. When it reaches what we engineers call its elastic limit, it will break. Just before it breaks, it is War and Peace. When stretched thin, it is still a novel. Somewhere before that you have a short story.

Now think of point of view. First person is good. Poe liked this view. At any rate, don't go beyond what the protagonist can see and hear with his or her own eyes. Remember this if you write in the third person as did Hemingway. You must not stand back and look at your story through a telescope. It must be intimate.

The protagonist is the main character. Who is the antagonist? You may need one in your story to be mean, nasty, cruel, uncaring, or having some other less than wonderful human trait. (You don't need an antagonist in every short story. Most but not all such stories are called "boring.")

Okay, let's take an idea and run with it.

The sun beat down on the soggy field. Trevor was soaked from the rain, but now the warmth of the sun was quickly drying him. He slapped Bossy on the rump and said, "Let's get to the barn, Bossy. If I don't get you milked before Pa comes home, I'll get the stick." That's when Trevor slipped on a cow patty and slid down the hill into the irrigation ditch. Bossy stared at the irrigation ditch for a while and then went back to chewing her cud.

More info: http://www.InternetBusinessToolCenter.com

Business web site: http://www.AAAFlagpoles.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Happy Birthday to Condoleezza Rice

Today is Condoleezza Rice's birthday.

Yes, our lovely and talented Secretary of State was born on November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama. You can read her biography at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/ricebio.html

I talked to Cindy who you should remember is a member of Scott McClellan's staff at the Blair House. Having a Washington insider has proved very helpful to me. I called her on my new Radio Shack® 2.4 GHz cordless telephone which I purchased at the local drug store so that I can walk around while talking to Cindy.

We don't have a Radio Shack® store in our town. The drug store has doubled up. They also have one dozen chocolate covered cherries for $1.29 if you're interested. They have Orange Sticks. Yum, Yum!

I called Scott McClellan's office and Scott picked up the telephone. I said, "I didn't know you answered your own telephone."

He said, "Who are you?"

I'm Taylor Jones, the hack writer. I was calling Cindy.

Everything went dead. There was no dial tone so I hung on for a while.

I walked around the track at the high school a few times and then decided to walk one more to make it one mile. Then I walked up to the end of the street and back again. Exhausted from all of this, I sat down in my sleep chair in front of the television. I was just about to hang up when that sweet voice came on the line. She said, "This is Cindy. I'm sorry you had to wait so long."

I said, "It was just a moment. Don't be sorry."

"Oh, it's you again. Taylor Jones the hack writer. What do you want this time?"

I said, "I see that Condoleezza is in Iraq."

"And?"

"Well, haven't you heard? It's not safe there since Bush War II started. I'm afraid she could get hurt, traveling to all those dangerous places. I don't want her to get hurt. Somebody could drop something on her lovely long fingers and she wouldn't be able to play the piano."

Cindy said, "I've got some news for you Taylor Jones, the hack writer. She is Secretary of State! She has a security system second only to Vice President Dick Cheney. No body can get to her unless she wants them to."

I said, "You must admire her courage. She is bold in her speech too. God love that woman!"

Cindy said, "I think that Taylor Jones, the hack writer, has a crush on the Secretary of State. You know she has her husband with her at all times. You'd better watch your step!"

That's when Cindy laughed. I was glad that the pressure was down in the Press Secretary's office. I said, "I guess Scott is doing better."

"Yeh! Right! Hey, I've got to go. Don't call back Taylor Jones, the hack writer."

I knew she was only kidding. I said, "We have forgotten something, haven't we, Cindy?"

She said, "Okay, but try to stay in tune." We sang together:

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday dear, sweet, smart, talented Condoleezza!

Happy birthday to you!

Cindy is so sweet too!

More info: http://www.InternetBusinessToolCenter.com

Business web site: http://www.AAAFlagpoles.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年8月31日 星期五

2012年8月30日 星期四

2012年8月29日 星期三

2012年8月28日 星期二

2012年8月31日星期五

2012年8月30日星期四

2012年8月29日星期三

2012年8月28日星期二