Extreme Honesty's topics - tribe.net

Deleting threads

2009-11-05T19:52:57Z

Its a long standing policy here that deleting threads that have been commented in by others is not cool. If you post a thread you may delete it before someone responds. After there are responses deleting a thread including work by others will resulted in your removal from the tribe.

Rona since you might not have been aware of this I'll let it slide, but stop deleting threads you start.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 19 replies

Free Masons

2009-10-22T03:37:39Z

My late father was a free-mason. Back in the 70's, before when he passed, the black members were separate from the whites. I don't know what they do now, but I remember his funeral was really frightening.

Does anyone know much about them? I have had a hard time getting info since they're so secretive and the 'History Channel'-if you can even really call it that- offers no insight when it posts specials.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 42 replies

Self Ownership

2009-09-30T08:19:52Z

Very good flash animation introducing the concept of self ownership and liberty
http://www.isil.org/resources/introduction.swf

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 2 replies

Being completely honest ...

2009-09-30T08:09:52Z

This has been one of the roughest weeks of my life, I have been extremely honest, and that part feels good, but I haven't been honest with my feelings in a long time so when I let out the honesty, its causing big waves. I need a hug and a should/arm massage - and that's extremely honest!

posted in Extreme Honesty - 13 replies

Police Brutality is systemic and pervasive

2009-08-24T19:33:12Z

For those that still doubt that abuses by the cops is the norm not the exception read over some of the topics and articals on this site:
http://www.policecrime.com/

Since tazers were a hot topic as well you might read some of the forum posts there under:
http://www.policecrime.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=8

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 21 replies

My eyes actually teared

2009-08-19T13:28:11Z

I have known Eric for almost 6 months. Until last week I did not know he was the chef on the Alaska Ranger

To me this is a lesson on both heroism and humility. When I asked him tonight why he did it, why he never told me, his response was you do what you have to do.

I have never before had a hero in my life. Today Eric Haynes is my hero. I am blessed to be a part of his life.

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 5 replies

Police aren't the real problem, the citizens are.

2009-08-18T23:35:08Z

Since the Gates incident I have read and participated in several discussions about police and police behavior and abuse of power etc.... and what has made the biggest impression on me is how many people seem to feel comfortable with the notion that we should always just keep our heads down and never question the police and their actions because they have tough jobs and because they have authority. Even in that youtube video of the naked guy getting tazered there are tons of comments where people express the opinion that he deserved what he got because he was a stupid naked hippy. Never mind that his crime was simply being drunk and naked at a music festival.
I don't know if it is a majority or just a vocal majority but there are a lot of people out there who seem to feel that mouthing off to the police is reason enough to be arrested and/or abused by the police. In the end so many corrupt officers get away with doing what they do because so much of the public feels they should have unconditional support, that we have no right to ask questions when confronted by them and that we shouldn't second guess them because they have tough jobs. People feel comfortable with the notion that as good citizens we should give up our rights in the presence of a police officer. So my question is what can we do about the public's perception and expectation of what is acceptable? Can something be done? Because if that doesn't change I don't see how the system will.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 38 replies

Interesting Stats not reported by mainstream media

2009-08-16T13:50:37Z

Our media has a vested interest in what we hear even when it applies to what as a society believe. Came across this interesting set of poll results. These are not from a single polling group but rather stuff that was un reported:
http://www.zcommunications.org/znet/viewArticle/21988

*Twice as many Americans back more government services and spending (even if this means a tax increase) as the number who support fewer services and reduced spending (National Elections Survey, 2004).

*64 percent of Americans would pay higher taxes to guarantee health care for all U.S. citizens (CNN Opinion Research Poll, May 2007).

*69 percent of Americans think it is the responsibility of the federal government to provide health coverage to all U.S. citizens (Gallup Poll, 2006).

*80 percent of Americans support a government-mandated increase in the minimum wage (Associated Press/AOL Poll, December 2006).

*71 percent of Americans think that taxes on corporations are too low ( Gallup Poll, April 2007).

*66 percent of Americans think taxes on upper-income people are too low(Gallup Poll, April 2007).

*59 percent of Americans are favorable toward unions, with just 29 percent unfavorable ( Gallup Poll, 2006).

*52 percent of Americans generally side with unions in labor disputes. Just 34 percent side with management (Gallup Poll, 2006).

*A majority of American voters think that the United States' "most urgent moral question" is either greed and materialism" (33 percent) or "poverty and economic injustice" (31 percent). Just 16 percent identify abortion and 12 percent pick gay marriage as the nation's "most urgent moral question" (Zogby, 2004). Thus, nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of the population think that injustice and inequality are the nation's leading "moral issues."

*Just 15 percent of Americans think the U.S. should play "the leading role in the world" (Gallup Poll. February 2007)- a remarkable rejection of U.S. global hegemony and empire.

*Just 29 percent of Americans support the expansion of government spending on "defense." By contrast, 79 percent support increased spending on health care, 69 percent support increased spending on education, and 69 percent support increased spending on Social Security (Chicago Council on Foreign Relations [hereafter "CCFR"}, "Global Views,"2004).

*77 percent of Americans think the U.S. has the unilateral right to go to war only if the U.S. has strong evidence it is in imminent danger of being attacked (53 percent) or (24 percent)if the other country attacks first (CCFR, 2004).

*Two thirds (66 percent) of Americans think the US should be more willing to make international relations decisions within the UN even if this means the U.S. will sometimes have to go along with a policy that is not its first choice (CCFR, 2004).

*Fifty-nine percent of Americans favor dropping the veto power granted to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, including the United States (CCFR, 2004).

* Just barely more than half of all Americans (and only one third of all Americans 18 to 29 years old) are sure that "capitalism is better than socialism" when it comes to how organize economic life (Rasmussen Reports, 2009).[2]

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 0 replies

In Oregon you can cite pigs for violations

2009-08-15T16:38:10Z

Contact your DA locally there may be provisions to use what is referred to as a citizens citation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGQiq5Ay5io&feature=related

Looking on the internet I am finding little to back this but my guess is a form could be created and used to cite the pigs when they violate the law. i would start with parking and begin hitting the District attorneys office with cites locally

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 77 replies

To people reading along and wanting to join EH

2009-08-15T05:28:53Z

I've recently received quite a few requests to join EH. Since a pattern is emerging I figured I'd give you all a heads up.

EH is a moderated tribe because there has been a lot of history with nasty fights breaking out, abusive trolls coming in and a lot of harsh and mean words exchanged.

Because of this I have basically instituted a policy about letting people join. If I get a request to join the tribe from someone who is obviously active on tribe, has friends listed on their profile, has photos of themselves in their profiles and is not obviously disruptive in other tribes I will let them in immediately.

Profiles with no photos, no friends, no other tribe affiliations or ones that show a history of fighting with other tribe members are generally held a few days. If its a new person and the profile gets added to then I'll let you in. If its a new person and the profile seems already dead then I likely will not let them in. I tend to shy away from profiles that seem to contain no personal photos or writings. If you have a friend in EH and they drop me a note about how wonderful you are, I will let you in. Hope that clarifies things for current and future members.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 2 replies

The Power of Nightmares

2009-08-15T01:58:01Z

This a great BBC documentary about the twin rise of Islamic Fundamentalism and the Neo-Cons that traces it back to the roots. It's not new so some of you may have already seen it but since it deals - honestly - with some of the lies that are being sold to people around the world, it seemed like it might be a good fit here. It's also got great interviews with key political players talking about their roles and beliefs.

http://www.archive.org/details/ThePowerOfNightmares

It's less about exposing conspiracies and more about the general stupidity of humans and how we buy into our own lies...and the culture of fear that has been consciously cultivated around the world.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 3 replies

Wisdom

2009-08-14T12:56:23Z

Perhaps this is the essence of what we need. First stumbled upon the trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7DofEVlIdY
Then checked out the IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1409841/

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 1 reply

communication style

2009-08-14T11:56:20Z

while being interviewed today I was asked what my communication style was (ex. non-violent, silent smolderer, one who takes up too much space, direct,....) I did not have an immediate answer because i was trying to impress these people and i have doubts that the way i communicate with people is the the most functional, but also i feel a little unaware of how indeed i do communicate.

Becoming a functional and clear communicator is something i have longed for in my tool kit but i have never really focused myself to learn such a task.

i am interested in consciously bringing in beauty and aesthetic into how i communicate with others.

i am interested in hearing from others who have taught themselves and/or how you brought more consciousness into relating with others.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 5 replies

The power of dreams

2009-08-12T03:04:05Z

And by "dreams" I mean the good ol fashioned kind that occur when you're deep in sleep...not the consciously manufactured version that give you reason to wake up and get through each day.

Anyway, ever have a dream that was just so *real* that when you woke up you felt disjointed and not fully aware of your current, waking life circumstances? Could be a good dream that was just so good you really didn't want to wake up...could be a bad one or even a nightmare that you were grateful to be free of, but still somehow unsure of the boundaries between conscious and sub-conscious realities.

I dream vividly. I nearly always remember at least one dream when I awake each morning. I love this about my brain and am thankful for it. But once in a while I have a dream that just truly touches upon something- etches grooves throughout my psyche- that effects me for the entire day after...or longer. I had one of those dreams last night. It seemed epic- as if the dream WAS my life and didn't just take up a few hours of my sub-conscious mind. When I woke up I was almost startled. I wanted to go back into it. I tried to fall asleep again, but my brain and body generally won't let me sleep past 6:00 am no matter what might or might not be happening that would require me to be awake at that hour. It's now 1:40pm and my entire day so far has been colored by this bizarre, but oh-so-real dream.

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 7 replies

Change

2009-08-02T13:40:35Z

In recent events and hardships within our own nation and around the world, more than one world leader or public voice has spoken out on need for change. Many will disagree on whether dramatic changes are even possible. What changes do you perceive as necessary to see a difference in our world and how could the ordinary citizen like you and me start the ball rolling?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 103 replies

Freedom of Speech

2009-07-24T21:24:02Z

Possibly out greatest freedom. But Can it be abused or misused? What do you think?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 1 reply

The Concept of Interdependence

2009-07-22T02:02:12Z

Dependence - The reliance of others for physical, mental or emotional needs.

Independence- The ability to be self relaiant for physical, mental or emotional needs. Needing no one but oneself.

Interdependence- Having the confidence and self esteem to know that one is self reliant yet using the wisdom that working with others is the most advantagous way to achieve more for everyone.

-A thought from Steven Covey's 7 Useful Habits of Highly Effective People.-

Do you agree with these concepts and where do you feel you would be on this ladder?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 5 replies

Do you believe in God?

2009-07-20T19:14:25Z

I, myself, lean toward the Agnostic side of things. I would be an Athiest, but I keep finding myself wondering what was the force that pushed the first domino. It is difficult for my little human reasoning to grasp nothing begat nothing.

I have studied multiple religions from Presbyterian, to Ekankar, to 9 months of catechism in the Catholic faith, to Wicca, and many little studies in between of various sects and beliefs. I still can't come to the conclusion that there is a God, or a Jesus, or an anyone/ thing/ force here for me. Well, maybe a force, there are times where I feel in complete connection with the universe, and I feel big and small at the same time.

I believe in science (a little Nacho Libre referrence for ya.) How do ya'll feel?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 39 replies

Ethical quandry

2009-07-20T01:56:18Z

Ok so going through a bunch of posted information one of my instructors provided I found a guide that has his by line and claim of authorship on.

Upon doing some unrelated research I came across the original posted on a culinary website. It was not by him. Rather it was written by another respected chef and was more complete than the posted information.

Personally I find plagiarism ethically reprehensible.

Now it gets even more complicated. He is the only ACF certified tester in the Las Vegas area. He hold several certifications with the ACF as well. When I go to get my ACF cert I will have to be evaluated by him unless I want to travel to another state for the evaluation.

So what is a guy to do... Let the flagrant unethical and academically dishonest act pass, or do I report it to the school, should I contact the original author with a copy of what he has put up. Should I possibly contact the ACF and start the ball rolling for stripping him of his credentials.

Most of you know from my postings it is not in may nature to allow this sort of thing to just slide but I do not need my grades and future harmed in trying to do the right thing.

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 9 replies

dot dot dot

2009-07-17T18:52:30Z

So what's up with the proliferation of people calling themselves . other than ./350ppm/!Alex!?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 2 replies

gods path for us?

2009-07-17T05:47:42Z

My beleif is contrary to popular theological perception the ability to bring "paradise" on earth is completely in our own hands. That we were all created by god with the gifts to do so. The choice to carve our own destines and live in virtual perfection or the opposite has always been in our hands we just continuously choose the opposite. Sadly most contain themselves within limitations when the truth is we were created to be limitless. If mankind were to focus on the similarites of our cultures and beleifs rather than the differences how easy would it be to realize our common goals, yearnings, desires and needs? How much richer would we be individually to know that every limitation and shackle that could be put on us is all a frame of mind and that the ability to overcome any obstacle and atain any dream is inherently created within us? We should all stop waiting to be saved by god, a messiah, some incredible leader and realize that god would be proud as any father would to see his sons and daughters pick themselves up and make their own way.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 51 replies

Taking Extreme Honesty to Invasion of Privacy on thejob

2009-07-12T21:26:56Z

http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=10558291

With more than 3,000 applicants and only 160 available jobs, the City of Bozeman (my home) has decided to narrow it's focus by asking applicants to divulge their membership with networking sites, INCLUDING their passwords!!!

"At the heart of the uproar is a requirement included on a waiver statement applicants must sign, giving the City permission to conduct an investigation into the person's "background, references, character, past employment, education, credit history, criminal or police records."

Those that don't comply won't be considered.

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 14 replies

A money question...

2009-07-09T22:43:00Z

Here's the scenario:
About six months ago, I let a friend borrow around $2000 in which payments for repay were to be made. Now, keep in mind this is a friend, somebody I feel isn't a bad person and want to keep being their friend. No contract (other than verbal) was made. My friend began making payments but then ran into some issues. He works and goes to school but barely makes enough to live off of. He has recently moved to a smaller place to simplify his living arrangement and expenses. Which I know is a good thing and will improve the situation but does nothing for right now.

The problem:
I'm in a situation where I need the debt to be repaid. If not all of it, as much as my friend can pay. I make rather decent money. Enough to live well with some extras. But I also moved, which ate up any kind of savings I had. Now, in completely honesty, I'm a rather frivolous spender myself. Meaning, although I usually get my bills taken care of, I'm apt to spend what's left on...well...stuff. Nothing extravagant. Usually dining out or if I'm on a business trip, I'll spend money on tours or nights out. Things like that. If I didn't spend so frivolously, I'm sure that the money wouldn't be much of a problem. But I do and it has become a problem.

Solution needed:
So while I'm pressured to try to collect what is due forcefully, I'm also at a point where this is a friend and the reason why I'm so broke right now is because I need to check my spending habits. Am I wrong for pressuring my friend, who is obviously in a tough situation already (but getting better with time)? Or should I blame myself for being so bad with my own money?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 14 replies

Enlightenment

2009-07-08T08:42:03Z

Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-imposed immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one’s understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another. Sapere Aude!1 “Have courage to use your own understanding!” — that is the motto of enlightenment.

Immanuel Kant

After reading a number of posts from a few people I have come to the realization that there are some very serious leaders and a lot of sheeple around. I came across this while reading and felt that it is a pretty clear statement concerning not the eastern concept of enlightenment but rather a western view of it. What do ya think.

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 32 replies

Describe yourself without using...

2009-06-25T22:41:20Z

...any of the usual adjectives you employ upon meeting someone for the first time.

This was an exercise we did during my Improv for the Spirit workshop last month. It was pretty bizarre. The first step is to write down all of the things you normally say when being introduced. I just wrote an "I am" at the top of the page and then listed all of the things I, or others, might offer as an explanation for my existence.
I am: a single mother; a chef; a student; a daughter...etc

Then begin a new "I am" list without using any of those terms. WOW! I found it pretty challenging myself. A few others seemed to have an easier time with it, and still others that couldn't seem to come up with anything remotely positive. Anyway, the reason I am posting this NOW, a full month later, is because it's one of the few things that keeps coming back to me IRL. It's been incredibly cathartic and freeing to intentionally avoid all of those "So, what do YOU do?" convo's and steer it into inquiries about some other person's self-perceived nature, or personality or abilities and talents. It's also made for some really amazing conversations.

*just a small disclaimer: this doesn't seem to have much of an effect on folks in the insurance or auto industries for some reason.

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 14 replies

Patents and trademarks

2009-06-25T20:53:23Z

I know it seems strange to ask this here in E.H., but we have so many knowledgeable members that I thought I'd give it a shot. Anyway, is anyone here familiar with how to patent/trademark an idea/invention? I looked up my idea on the U.S. Patent and Trademark website and it appears that no one else has come up with it yet, but sifting through all of the various steps and procedures was exhausting and not particularly helpful. Is there any easy way to just protect my idea until I can make a prototype and jump through all of the necessary hoops for trademarking? I'm pretty broke, so a patent lawyer is out of my ability.

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 3 replies

Universal Medical Coverage

2009-06-23T19:38:24Z

In my opinion this is the key to fixing much of the US economy. I can't beleive that people who aren't involved in the insurance industry directly aren't down with single payer as, at least, an option.

I knwo we have lots of Canuuks in here so please feel free to share your feelings about the Canadien system that is so often maligned in the US mainstream media and which seems so damn sensible and good to me.

Fellow Americans weigh in and what you'd like to see happen and how you think we can get there.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 9 replies

Reel Bad Arabs

2009-06-19T23:14:40Z

Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People (ISBN 1-56656-388-7, Olive Branch Press) is a 2001 book by Jack Shaheen where he surveyed more than 900 film appearances of Arab characters. Of those, only a dozen were positive and 50 were balanced. Shaheen writes "Seen through Hollywood's distorted lenses, Arabs look different and threatening."

Jack G. Shaheen (born 1935) is Professor Emeritus of Mass Communication at Southern Illinois University.

I have not read the book, but did see a television interview of him on this.

It was very interesting on the stereotyping and thematic tool of the "evil Arab" in Hollywood.

It was especially interesting to realise Disney's use, particularly given their audience, of the myth in movies like Aladdin and seeing short extracts from so many movies really made me realise how frequent and powerful the recurring image is and I think he is right in describing this as vilification.

JACK SHAHEEN: So there is this cloud with the hate crimes, with the profiling, with being rounded up. Again, I think this illustrates the power of film. That in spite of the reality, in spite of the material that we know to be true, we still embrace the mythology. The mythology is still a part of our psyches. Stereotypes take a long time to wither away. And for many of us, we’re comfortable with our prejudices. We don’t want to change. We’ve grown accustomed to this face.

JACK SHAHEEN: The stereotype has become so widespread that it’s become invisible to people, and the reason being is that we’ve all grown up with these images. Just look at television. We now have TV shows telling us that, in addition to the Arab terrorists over there, American Arabs over here are also terrorists. Then there’s Showtime’s “Sleeper Cell.” Here a sinister network of Islamic groups operates on American street corners. Any homeless man could be part of this network. Even Western looking Arabs are part of this anti-American conspiracy.

IMDB says
This groundbreaking documentary dissects a slanderous aspect of cinematic history that has run virtually unchallenged form the earliest days of silent film to today's biggest Hollywood blockbusters. Featuring acclaimed author Dr. Jack Shaheen, the film explores a long line of degrading images of Arabs--from Bedouin bandits and submissive maidens to sinister sheikhs and gun-wielding "terrorists"--along the way offering devastating insights into the origin of these stereotypic images, their development at key points in US history, and why they matter so much today. Shaheen shows how the persistence of these images over time has served to naturalize prejudicial attitudes toward Arabs and Arab culture, in the process reinforcing a narrow view of individual Arabs and the effects of specific US domestic and international policies on their lives. By inspiring critical thinking about the social, political, and basic human consequences of leaving these Hollywood caricatures unexamined, the film challenges viewers to recognize the urgent need for counter-narratives that do justice to the diversity and humanity of Arab people and the reality and richness of Arab history and culture

The full 50 minutes of the show http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-223210418534585840 I recommend watching it.

Quotes obtained from "Transcript" at http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=412 (with short extracts from the film)
IMDB says http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948465/plotsummary
The post 1980 movies he sights as worst offenders http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reel_Bad_Arabs

Would you say you have an awareness of this vilification ?

For me, I would have to admit I was desensitized to this.. In extreme honesty I would have to put my hand up to "The stereotype has become so widespread that it’s become invisible to people, and the reason being is that we’ve all grown up with these images. "

Worth thinking about..

posted in Extreme Honesty - 6 replies

What's so natural about this "natural" personal chef/celebrity?

2009-06-16T05:57:00Z

I just don't get it. I've been busting my ass for years trying to make a niche for my little personal cheffing biz, using locally grown and pesticide-free foods and while I've received a fair amount of press and attention, I am nowhere NEAR the level of popularity that this young woman has achieved.
http://www.bethenny.com/
and then this:
http://www.awfulplasticsurgery.com/2009/03/13/bethenny-frankel-has-some-ugly-breast-implants/

Of course, being a so called "housewife" on one of those ridiculous Real (haha) Housewives of wherever the fuck they are hasn't exactly hurt her career. But here's what I wanna know. Is there some way I can reach even a modicum of this type of notoriety WITHOUT completely compromising (or murdering) my principles and commitment to a truly natural lifestyle? C'mon people. Would I really have to market myself as a "Skinny Girl" -that's her new line of products, recipes and books- or convert my homegrown mammary's into unusable flotation devices upon which to one day rest my sagging chin skin?

*urgh*

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 11 replies

Stop Having Children<A Tax proposal>

2009-06-11T07:45:19Z

http://www.amateurbrainsurgery.com/stop-having-babies-to-save-the-planet/134/

Interesting article and a potentially valid concept... Rather than futzing with carbon credits ect perhaps a better solution would be massive tax credits for people that avoid having children. This could be further bolstered by programs for grants and further credits for pepole that opt for voluntary sterilization.

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 45 replies

A different view of the world ?

2009-06-08T18:42:59Z

Sorry this is so long.

A good friend of mine was an Infantry Battalion Commander in the Vietnam War, He often hoids different views of the world than mine. Reading the below, I wondered what he would think of it. Then I wondered what reaction you guys might have....

Claim: Vietnam veteran Brian Shul delivered a patriotic speech in Chico,
California, in 2001.

Status: True.

Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2003]

Speech by Brian Shul in Chico California in the Fall of 2001

Brian Shul is a Vietnam era USAF fighter pilot with 212 combat
missions. He was shot down near the end of the war and was so badly
burned that he was given next to no chance to live. He did live,
went on to fly SR-71s and completed a 20 year career in the Air
Force. Has written four books on aviation and runs a photo studio.
This is a speech he made in Chico California in the aftermath of the
September 11th attack on the U.S.

Thank you for the opportunity to address this rally today. It is not
often that a fighter pilot is asked to be the keynote speaker. There
is a rumor that they are unable to put two sentences together
coherently. I'd like to dispel that rumor today by saying that I can
do that, and in fact that I have written several books. I always
wanted to be an author, and I ARE one now.

I'm a pretty lucky person really. I'm like the little boy who tells
his father that when he grows up he wants to be a jet pilot, and his
father replies, "Sorry son, you can't do both". I made that choice a
long time ago and flew the jets. I was fortunate to live my dream,
and then some. I survived something I shouldn't have, and today,
tell people that I am 28 years old, as it has been that long since I
was released from the hospital. It was like I received a second
life, and in the past 28 years, I have gotten to see and do much, so
much that I would not have thought possible. Returning to fly jets
in the Air Force, flying the SR-71 on spy missions, spending a year
with the Blue Angels, running my own photo studio.... and so much
more. And now, seeing our country attacked in such a heinous way.

Some of you here today have heard me speak before, and know that I
enjoy sharing my aviation slide show. I have brought no slides to
show you, as I feel compelled today, to address different issues
concerning this very difficult time in our nation's history.

I stand before you today, not as some famous person, or war hero. I
am far from that. You know, they say a good landing is one you can
walk away from, and a really great one is when you can use the
airplane again. Well, I did neither...and I speak to you to today as
simply a fellow American citizen.

Like you, I was horrified at the events of September 11th. But I was
not totally surprised that such a thing could happen, or that there
were people in the world who would perpetrate such deeds, willingly,
against us. Having sat through many classified briefings while in
the Air Force, I was all too l aware of the threat, and I can assure
you, it has always been there in one form or another. And those of
you who have served in the defense of this nation, know all too well
the response that is needed. In every fighter squadron I was in,
there was a saying that we knew to be true, that said, when there
was a true enemy, you negotiate with that enemy with your knee in
his chest and your knife at his throat.

Many people are unfamiliar with this way of thinking, and shrink
from its ramifications. War is such a messy business, and there are
many who want no part of it, but rush to bask in the security
blanket of its victory.

I spent an entire military career fighting Communism, and was very
proud to do so. We won that war, we beat one of the worst scourges
to humankind the world has known. But it took a great effort, over
many years of sustained vigilance and much sacrifice by so many
whose names you will never know. And perhaps our nation, so weary
from so long a cold war, relaxed too much and felt the world was a
safer place with the demise of the Soviet Union. We indulged
ourselves in our own lives, and gave little thought to the threats
to our national
security.

You know, normally my talks are laced with numerous jokes as I share
my stories, but I have very few jokes to tell this afternoon. These
murdering fanatics came into our land, lived amongst our people,
flew on our planes, crashed them into our buildings, and killed
thousands of our citizens. And nowhere along their gruesome path
were they questioned or stopped. The joke is on us. We allowed this
country to become soft.

We shouldn't really be too surprised that this could happen. Did we
really think that we could keep electing officials who put self
above nation and this would make us stronger? Did we really think
that a strong economy adequately replaced a strong intelligence
community? Did we imagine that a President who practically gave away
the store on his watch, was insuring national security? While our
country was mired in the wasted excess of a White House sex scandal,
the drums of war beat loudly in foreign lands, and we were deaf. Our
response was to give the man two terms in office, and even then
barely half the American public exercised their right to vote. We
have only ourselves to blame. Our elected officials are merely a
reflection of our own values and what we deem important.

Did we not realize that America had become a laughing stock around
the world? We had lost credibility, even amongst our allies. To our
enemies we had no resolve. We made a lot of money, watched a lot of
TV, and understood little about what was happening beyond our
shores. We were, simply, an easy target.

But we are a country awakened now. We have been attacked in our
homeland. We have now felt the reality of what an unstable and
dangerous world it truly is. And still, in the face of this
unprecedented carnage in our most prominent city, there are those
who choose to take this opportunity to protest, and even burn the
flag.

If I were the regents or alumni of certain large universities in
this county, I would be embarrassed to be producing students of such
ignorance and naïve notions. Like mindless sheep, they march with
painted faces and trite sayings on signs, blissfully ignorant of the
world they live in, and the system that protects them, hoping maybe
to make the evening news. Perhaps if they had spent more time in
class they would have learned that those who forget the past are
condemned to repeat it. They might have learned that all it takes
for evil to succeed in the world, is for good people to stand by and
do nothing. If they had simply gone back in history as recently as
the Viet Nam War, they would have learned that an enemy that knows
it can never defeat us militarily, will persist as long as there is
dissention and disruption in our land. Their ignorance can be
understood, as their young empty minds have been filled with the
re-written history tripe that tenured leftist professors can spew
out with no fear of removal. But the unwitting aid they provide the
enemy, in disrupting the national resolve, is unforgivable. I think
this is wonderful country, though, that gives everyone their voice
of dissention. I am all for people expressing their views publicly
because it makes it much easier for us to identify the truly
foolish, and to know who cannot be counted on in times of crisis.
These are the weak and cowardly who, when the enemy is crashing
through the front door, will cower in the back room, counting on
better men than themselves to make and keep them free. Well, the
enemy is at our front door, and isn't it interesting those who cry
loudest and most often for their rights, are usually those least
willing to defend it.

I heard a student on TV the other day say that this war just wasn't
in his plans and he would simply head to Canada if a draft occurred.
Just wasn't in his plans. I wonder what plans the young men at the
beaches of Normandy had that they never got to live. I wonder if it
was in the plans of 19-year-old boys in Viet Nam to lie dying in a
jungle far from home. I guess the men and women at Pearl Harbor one
morning had their plans slightly rearranged too. Gee, I hope we
haven't inconvenienced this student. Those people in the World Trade
Center have no more plans. It is up to us to have a plan now. And it
isn't going to be easy. Who ever said it would? Just what part of
our history spoke of how easy it was to form a free nation? It has
never been easy and has always required vigilance and sacrifice, and
sometimes war, to preserved this union. If it were easy, everyone
would have done it. But no one else has, and we stand alone as the
most unique country on earth.

And isn't it amazing that we have spent a generation stamping God
out of our schools and government, and now as a nation, have
collectively turned to God in memorial services, prayer vigils and
churches around this country.

I am also very disturbed to hear that there are people in this
country, at this particular time, who feel it inappropriate to wear
the flag on their lapel because they are on the news or in a public
job, and school officials who want to remove pro-American stickers
so as not to offend foreign students. Well I am offended that these
people call themselves Americans. I am offended that innocent people
were killed in a mass attack of unthinkable proportions. And I am
offended at listening to TV broadcasters speak to me
condescendingly, with a bias that screams of their drowning in a
cesspool of political correctness. I pity the person who thinks they
are going to remove this flag from my lapel.

This flag of ours is the symbol of all that is good about this
country. America is an idea. It is an idea lived, and fought for, by
a people. We are America, and this is our symbol. We are imperfect
in many ways, but we continue to strive toward the ideal our
forefathers laid down for us over 225 years ago. I could never
imagine desecrating that symbol. Perhaps there are many people in
this nation who have never been abroad, or in harms way, and seen
the flag upon their return. Those poor souls can never know the deep
pride and honor one feels to see it wave, to know that there is
still a good ol' USA. With all our warts we are still the greatest
nation on earth, and the flag is the most powerful symbol of that
greatness. When I was in grade school, we used to say the Pledge of
Allegiance every morning. It is something I never forgot. I wonder
how many children even know that pledge today.

This flag is our history, our dreams, our accomplishments, indelibly
expressed in bright red, white, and blue. This flag was carried in
our Revolutionary War, although it had many less stars. But it
persevered and evolved throughout a war we had no right to believe
we could win. But we did, and built a country around it. This flag,
tattered and battle worn, waved proudly from the mast, as John Paul
Jones showed the enemy what true resolve was. This banner was raised
by the hands of brave men on a godforsaken island called Iwo Jima,
and became a part of the most famous photo of the 20th Century.
Those men are all dead now, but their legacy lives on in the Marine
Memorial in Washington, DC. Those of you who have seen it will
recall that inscribed within the stone monument are the words — When
Uncommon Valor, Was A Common Virtue — I don't believe you'll see the
words, "it was easy", anywhere on it. This flag has even been to the
moon, planted there for all time by men with a vision, and the
courage to see it through.

I personally know what it is to see the flag, and feel something
deep inside that makes you feel you are a part of something much
bigger than yourself. Laying in a hospital bed, I can vividly recall
looking out the only window in the room and on Sundays, seeing that
big garrison flag flying proudly in the breeze. It filled the entire
window, and filled my heart with a motivation that helped me leave
that bed, and enabled me to be standing here today. And many years
later, while fighting another terrorist over Libya, my backseater
and I outraced Khaddafi's missiles in our SR-71 as we headed for the
Mediterranean, and I can still clearly see that American flag patch
on the shoulder of my space suit, staring at me in the rear view
mirror as we headed west, and it was a good feeling. Now don't ask
me why we had rear view mirrors in the world's fastest jet. I can
assure you, no one was gaining on us that day.

I am so happy to see so many flags out here today. Long may it wave.

History will judge us. How we confront this chapter of American
history will be important for the future of this great nation. This
will be a war like none other we have endured. The combatants will
not just be the soldier on the battlefront, but will be fought by
us, the citizens. We are on the battlefield now; the war has been
brought to us. We will determine the outcome of this war by how well
we remain vigilant, how patient we are with tightened security, how
well we support the economy, and most importantly, in the resolve we
show the enemy. There are some things worth fighting for, and this
country is one of them.

I pray for our leaders at this time. In the Pacific, during WW II,
Admiral Bull Halsey said, "There are no great men, just great
circumstances, and how they handle those circumstances will
determine the outcome of history". Our future and the future of
coming generations are in our hands. Wars are not won just on
military fronts, but by the resolve of the people. We must remain
tenaciously strong in the pursuit of this enemy that threatens free
people everywhere.

I am encouraged that we will win this war. Even before the first
shot was finished being fired, there were brave Americans on Flight
93, fighting back. These people were the first true heroes of this
conflict, and gave their lives to save their fellow countrymen.

This nation, this melting pot of humanity, this free republic, must
be preserved. This idea that is America is important enough to be
defended. Fought for. Even die for. The enemy fears what you have,
for if their people ever become liberated into a free society,
tyrannical dictatorships will cease and he will lose power.

How can they ever understand this country of ours, so self-indulgent
and diverse, yet when attacked, so united in the defense of its
principals. This is the greatest country in the world because brave
people sacrificed to make it that way. We are a collective mix of
greatness and greed, hi-tech and heartland. We are the country of
Mickey Mouse and Mickey Mantle; from John Smith and Pocahontas to
John Glenn and an Atlas booster; from Charles Lindbergh to Charley
Brown; from Moby Dick to Microsoft; we are a nation that went from
Kitty Hawk to Tranquility Base in less than 70 years; we are rock
and roll, and the Bill of Rights; we are where everyone else wants
to be, the greatest nation in the world.

The enemy does not understand the dichotomy of our society, but they
should understand this; we will bandage our wounds, we will bury our
dead; and then we will come for you . . . and we will destroy you
and all you stand for.

I read this quote recently and would like to share it with you:

We are pressed on every side, but not crushed,
Perplexed, but not in despair,
Persecuted, but not abandoned,
Struck down, but not destroyed.

That is from II Corinthians. Not too long ago it would have been
politically incorrect to quote from the Bible. I am so happy to be
politically INCORRECT. And I am so proud to be an American.

Thank you all for coming out today and showing your support for your
government, and your nation. You are the true patriots, you are the
soldiers of this war, you are the strength of America.

Source http://www.snopes.com/rumors/shul.asp

~

What do you think ?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 26 replies

A little help here?

2009-06-01T22:30:22Z

So, my 7 y/o son came to me a few weeks ago asking what the difference was between vampires and zombies. I did my best to explain. Vampires bite one of your major arteries and suck out your blood and may or may not choose to make you one of them. Zombies, on the other hand, bite you anywhere they can in order to render you helpless while they suck out your brain and neither you nor they have any control over whether you become one of them. In the end, the recipients are both dead...or, undead.

He seemed content with this explanation.

But then my 7 y/o daughter (twins) came to me just last week asking about the differences between the "Swine Flu" and the "Mexican Flu". She asked, "Can pigs make me sick?" I tried to give her both the long and short answer. I said, "Pigs can only make you sick if you don't cook them long enough. They need to reach at least 160 degrees Farenheit internally". So, she asked me if she needs to do the same for Mexicans.

Thank you mass media. You're not making deconstruction easy, are you?

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 33 replies

You can't make this shit up

2009-05-29T03:44:26Z

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ieHZRubAS3lyjn2GBiCPkXkHrXwwD97QROAG0

So apparently many Jews and Muslims find the disease name "Swine Flu" offensive because of the association with pigs which is prohibited in their religions so the deputy health minister in Israel has proposed that they call it "Mexican Flu." Hilarious! (in a most offensive way of course)
So on the news this morning I heard that the Mexican ambassador to Israel has already complained that they are very offended that Israel thought it fit to exchange "Swine" for "Mexican."

Why does this make me laugh so much?

It is bloody awful but sort of reminds me of something I'd see in a Monty Python sketch.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 25 replies

Yet more words of (questionable) wisdom

2009-05-26T06:09:25Z

(...from my father)

"Everyone is a bit of a larcenist. We all want to think we're getting away with something, especially when we can get it without offering anything more than we'd already do in return".

Hmmm...not sure what to make of this. Would you consider this extreme honesty or just narcissistic bullshit? Either way, it at least gave me a glimpse into WHY my powers of attraction continually attract the 'bad boys'. Thanks dad.

But seriously, do you find this to be true of yourself? Are we all just basically looking to take advantage of anyone and any situation that we can? If so, I suppose it also helps to explain why I'm not more successful. But, that's another story...

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 8 replies

Facebook? Twitter?

2009-05-11T03:03:28Z

I find myself over at Facebook a lot these days. Its both a good place to find old long lost friends and to talk to people I see every day. It has quickly become a fairly easy route for promoting gigs and/or finding out what's going on in town.

Knowing my tendency to get timesucked into these sorts of things, I am pretty hesistent to check out Twitter. I feel it pulling me in but I figured I'd ask for some opinions in here before I open (another) pandora's box .

Do you tweet?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 28 replies

She is all over the news...

2009-05-06T03:07:23Z

The tribe seems a bit dead...

Susan Boyle seems to have sparked all sorts of discussions on "beauty"

Me, what appeals is the way she stuck it up the audience and her singing gives me shivers :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Thoughts ?

Do her looks cloud her talent, do they matter, do they colour how people view her and her ability ?

How about her age ?

I have not seem much of her, but she does not seem to be a shrinking violet and I love the quiet (well founded!) confidence she showed in the face of the audience, but especially the judges ,who seemed to immediately have some preconceptions, both before, and after she sung.

Does the cover of the book *really* count ?

If these are stupid questions - why are many of our societies asking them ?

Has she got much coverage in the States ?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 44 replies

I'm back, if only for a moment....

2009-05-05T06:01:23Z

Hey, I am checking in after a loooong absence from Tribe (I can't even recall the last time I logged in, maybe 6 months, let alone posted or even lurked on discussions.

After being away for so long, I can (extremely) honestly say the main tribe I miss some days is EH. For a while many of you crazy, wonderful, opinionated, and generally enlightening, amusing, and sometimes raucous bunch of people were more like my 'true-life tribe' than many of the people I know in meatspace (offline). But the technical fuckups at tribe, it being down for hours at a time, for days in a row gave me a good opportunity to pull the Tribe-needle-jack out of my medulla oblongata and disconnect for a needed break that I wouldn't really admit I needed. Plus really busy being a Dad, getting laid-off, hunting for work, finding work, working, etc. You know, that thing some people like to call "life" (but is really just one aspect of life, one we choose, for better or for worse sometimes. For me, all the bullshit doesn't matter anymore when I hear my kids laughing, or find myself amazed at how amazing the rapid development of language and understanding of children. And to any of you anti-kid people: I love you, but fuck off OK? I know why you feel the way you do, as I have felt & thought similar
things in the past. But all I know now is I love being a parent. More than I ever thought I could. Kids are one of the rare things that give me some sort of faith in humanity, after all the horrible bullshit we have witnessed as a species the past 150,000 years. As to whether we are evolving into some sort of less-shitty (selfish, violent, angry) species as a whole...Well, the jury still seems to be out on that one. Ask me any given day and I may tell you something different. Anyway, I digress (I am good at that).

Perhaps I just swapped one addiction to "social media" for another, as I am pretty hooked on Twitter the past 9 months. It's not as fulfilling as tribe, but in many ways is easier, more immediate, and less demanding of time.

But either way, here I sit, unable to sleep so I decided to check in and see what's up @ EH lately. And of course there are 1700+ unread messages. So many I can't even pretend I'd want to catch up in any real sense.

But I do see a few people I remember, some of my favorite EH'ers are still here (...Come on, admit it, you have favorites. Yes YOU, you do too. You know you do. ;)

What have I missed? Can someone summarize (in 500 words are less, with more brownie points for substance than 'proper' grammar or linguistic traditions. If you are thinking Finnegan's Wake-style, that would be fun too. If you are auditing the EH class, then feel free to ignore this request.

woot!

posted in Extreme Honesty - 13 replies

The ugly beast of passive-aggressive comunication...

2009-04-29T08:05:10Z

...has reared its ugly head once again. Why-oh-why do some people choose this over actual communication? In just the past week three of the adults in my life have created a bit of a cluster-fuck with passive-aggressive communication and I finally put my foot down and refused to engage with them on this level.

The first, ugliest and also most ridiculous scenario involves one of my roommates and two cat litter boxes. I generally clean the cat boxes once every two weeks, and use a 'pooper scooper' in the interim. But due to a hectic holiday catering schedule, the kiddo's all being out of school and the fact that I've had a runny nose and couldn't really smell the cat boxes, I was remiss in getting them thoroughly cleaned out on time. Enter my roommate who, after coming out of what I can only call a cycle of depression (not going to work, school and spending up to 16 hours a day in bed sleeping and spending his awake hours on his computer in his room) went into a cycle of mania. As far as I know he's never been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, just chronic depression for which he takes meds. Anyway, he suddenly had tons of energy and began several huge projects, including building an awesome snowboarding ramp in our backyard that starts at the roof of our garage! The kids have had a blast on it. But I woke up on Sunday to him cleaning out my cat litter boxes while wearing a bandana around his face. He was obviously disgusted and very irritated and I told him that he didn't have to do that and that I'd planed on doing it that day anyway as I had no clients and no plans other than housecleaning. Long story short (oops, too late) he didn't accept my offer and instead decided to berate me and then told me that several people he's spoken with about it told him it was a health issue and could make him sick to have to breathe in dirty cat waste. I don't disagree, and this is why I usually clean them out more frequently. But here's what I don't understand...if he had the time and energy to talk to several 'friends' about this, then why couldn't he find the time/energy to bring it to the attention of the one person that would've solved the problem (me)?

In any case, as passive-aggression often does, the communication snowballed into attack-defense mode and he, once again, threatened to move out. So this time, cuz I'm sick of him using this bully tactic on me, I called his bluff and said, "Okay. Perhaps that would be best for both of us". I don't think he took me seriously until the next day when I returned his rent to him and asked him how to go about switching the internet bill over to my name (everything else is already in my name).

The other case doesn't seem to involve me directly, but the two friends involved have more or less invoked me without conferring with me first. To be honest, I'm not even clear on the details. It seems to be about their friendship being a bit rocky (in general) and one of them works for me part time while the other one rents my attic space (almost her own separate apartment). And because I'm teh one in contact with both of them they've begun using me as their sounding board for their feelings about the other. When one called me yesterday and asked me is the other said [this or that], and then the other pulled me aside to day and asked the same damn thing, I realized that this was going somewhere ugly fast and I had no desire to be caught int he middle. So, i told them both not to discuss the other with me and that if they continued to do so, that I would have no recourse but to be open and honest about what the other was saying since they are ridiculously refusing to express themselves to each other. I don't know if that's really the *right* thing to do, but I am fucking sick of grown folks pulling this shit on each other and I flat out refuse to be a part of it. END OF GAME. DO NOT INSERT ANOTHER TOKEN.

whew

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 24 replies

The annual anti-February post

2009-04-29T07:24:26Z

Okay, so here we are again, smack dab in the middle of my most hated month. This month we have Valentines Day, President's Day, my birthday and black awareness month. I take issue with ALL of the above.

Valentine's Day is nothing more than a capitalistic wet dream for the greeting card and floral industries. But, a nightmare for those of us that have chosen to be single (even if the choice is less than voluntary). We can choose, as an alternative, to celebrate Single Awareness Day.
So, what will it be folks? V.D. or S.A.D.?

Presidents Day? If we actually respected these presidents at all wouldn't we give them each their OWN individual day? Other than the fact that they're previous presidents they have virtually nothing in common. Well, okay...they're all WHITE MALE presidents. But really, do we need another day celebrating white males in positions of power?

My birthday...not that it's a heavy hitter here for anyone other than ME, but can't I choose to postpone this until I feel that I'm ready to turn 39? Not there yet. I'm still working on accepting that I'm in my 30's at all, and now, due to some arbitrary chronological time constraints I'm supposed to accept that I'm nearing 40? Nope. If the February 17 mandatory digital t.v. reception can be postponed indefinitely, then so can my gawdamned birthday!

And Black Awareness month? What's up with that?!?!?!?!? We're only supposed to be aware of dark skinned folks achievements and successes for 1 month out of the year? And if so, WHY is it the shortest month of the year we choose to celebrate these achievements and successes? Don't black folks contribute to our culture every fucking day of the year? Just the very fact that there is a *special month* dedicated to black people reeks of calendar segregation. There are 12 freaking months here, folks. And blacks get ONE? Who gets the rest? Oh, right. White folks. And white folks are so entitled to this calendar that they don't even need a Hallmark occasion...white's have cornered the market all year long, forever and for always (in their perception anyway).

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 61 replies

Social Networking and TMI

2009-04-12T04:58:58Z

As a performer I appreciate being able to post about shows I have coming up so people can come check them out. After commenting about some shows in the Facebook, Twitter thread, I posted a link to the band's web page which I later realized has all the info about where I'll be performing. I had hoped to get people interested and have them contact me privately for location and times, but the cat is totally out of the bag.

I realize that the vast majority of tribers are upstanding decent folks who wouldn't do anything untoward, but there are definitely some tribers whose on line presence makes me not want them to know exactly where I'll be at any given moment. What's a struggling musician to do?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 5 replies

Check out Google.com

2009-03-16T02:46:35Z

In commemoration of astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli's birthday they've apparently decided to place a penis entering a fiery vagina as part of their logo.

Um, did I miss something? Or was schlong really a cosmic entity?

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 12 replies

Public Speaking...er, MY public speech tomorrow morning

2009-02-18T18:06:20Z

Montana House Bill 252 comes up for a hearing tomorrow and I'll be speaking on the behalf of those that have chosen not to speak publicly. My speech is about 2 1/2 minutes long-and I tend to speak too rapidly under stress so perhaps it'll be closer to 2 minutes. It will be directed at the 18 members of the committee hearing this bill as well as the 100 members of the state legislature. Eeeek. Oh, and my mother is a legislator so she is planning on introducing me to the house (and it's mandatory for them to applaud my presence simply because I'm related to her) which translates into me turning every imaginable shade of red on LIVE public television!!!!!!!!

So, for those of you that are good at this sort of thing, do you have any pointers? Suggestions? Any idea how I might offset the full body blush I will no doubt experience? How to slow down my speech so normal human ears can decipher it without a code?

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 13 replies

"Really, all he has to do is press a button and the plane flies itself,"

2009-02-10T15:35:46Z

If it weren't for my criminal record, bad eyesight, tiredness on long journey's, fear of flying, hatred of long trips, and general disinterest . I might even consider this as an alternative to being a cannibal. It seems their expectations are almost as low as becoming a parent of octuplets.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/05/aeroflot-drunk-pilot

posted in Extreme Honesty - 5 replies

Text messaging woes

2009-02-06T05:52:12Z

I've come to hate this form of communication.

Last year I actually experienced an entire 'break up'/ dissolution of friendship via text messaging that, in hindsight, was little more than one person's assumptions crashing into another person's presumptions.

But now I am having a different sort of woe. I recently met a man that seemed interesting enough to get to know better. So, we went out on exactly 2 dates. The first was just a cocktail after work and the various topics of conversation were actually quite fascinating (he has one degree in molecular biology and worked for big pharma briefly before deciding that his real passions had to do with interface technologies in the realm of helping disabled folks become abled, even if they can't use their own limbs). Okay, so not much 'chemistry' there (for me), but there could many potential reasons for that including but not limited to me just not having much energy that day. So I agreed to have lunch with him today. Again, not any sort of a 'spark' for me and I was clear and direct about the fact that I found him very interesting but I just didn't see a future in *dating* him.

From 2pm (when we went our separate ways after lunch) til 6 pm he texted me no less than 14 times. I received these messages but didn't reply because I WAS BUSY...one kiddo at home sick with a sitter I had to relieve, another 2 I had to pick up from school and 1 that I had to get to tae kwon do class. At first his messages were just a little creepy in that overly familiar sort of way: "Do you miss me yet?", and "I hope you have phone set to vibrate so you can get maximum enjoyment out of all of my texts". Ewwww. I barely KNOW this person!

When his messages took on the tone of "why aren't you responding?" and " Do I need to teach you how to text so that you'll respond to me?" (around the 6th message) I stopped EVERYTHING and called him and asked him not to keep texting me as I WAS BUSY and that I wasn't too happy with his patronizing assumptions and sexualized tones. He said he understood. Then he texted me 6 MORE TIMES, and pulled the same shite again. Again, when I got a moment I called him and told him to STOP texting me, that I simply don't have time to respond and that I'm beginning to feel intruded upon.

He texted 2 MORE TIMES. What the fuck?

Apparently I have a text stalker who just isn't getting the very clear and direct messages I verbalized.

Anyway, I thought the entire point of texting or emailing or using all of these other forms of communication that don't involve face to face or voice to voice were intended as a glorified voice mail message...that the recipient could get back to the initiator WHEN they were able to- (or, in what is my case now, when and IF I fucking want to. And I really don't want to at this point!)

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 18 replies

What is it?

2009-02-02T03:15:35Z

I wonder, from an analytical point of view, what you think the purpose of creating lame alts just to annoy this tribe are all about?
Here are a few of my guesses:

1) Needs attention. Mommy and daddy weren't good to them. I say get over it. Mommy and daddy weren't good to most of us.

2) Nothing better to do. Lost their jobs due to incompetence or are avoiding doing any work while on the clock. Doesn't it get boring?

3) Whack job. Self explanatory.

4) Pissed because they didn't get on Jerry Springer and their cousin/brother/sister/lover (meaning the person is all four simultaneously) is taking it out on them because they wanted a chance to tell the story of how they were seduced by a morbidly obese dyslexic midget with 4 penises and became a heroine addict who hooks at truck stops. You ruined it for him/her. Now you're taking it out on EH.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 57 replies

The sub-conscious marking of a dreaded anniversary

2009-01-19T13:35:56Z

There are certain times of the year that seem to be triggers for me and, while they do seem somewhat consistent, I am nevertheless always caught off guard. I'll begin to have these minor adrenalin rushes and foreboding feelings and wander around in a bit of a daze not quite knowing why. About 2 years ago my therapist suggested that there might be some sort of anniversary related trigger and she asked me to look back through the times in my life when something particularly traumatic happened to see if there might some correlation. Sure enough, there was. This helped me to make sense of why my brain and body were doing the anxiety mambo, but now just knowing this seems to be creating a trigger all unto itself. Although, its not as if I mark my actual calendar.

For example, two days I began having a series of these adrenalin rushes. I had made several plans for Friday and Saturday and found myself terrified of actually going through with them. Skiing on Friday and then ice skating, movies and dinner with kiddo's on Saturday. I found myself awake at 4am on Friday morning dreading the ski slopes and well, even leaving the house. I forced myself anyway and had a good time (except for one run that turned out to be much more challenging than I was ready for) but managed to slowly navigate myself down it...cuz there really wasn't any other option. Then yesterday it happened all over again. That's when I remembered to check the calendar and there it was. The anniversary of my ex-husband's last physical abuse was on January 18, 2004- which resulted in me being taken to the emergency room and him being taken to jail. (Another annual trigger occurs in mid-April when I found my best friend after he'd committed suicide way back when we were only 14 years old and there are a couple of other one's not worthy of mentioning). Anyway, I decided to give myself the time and space to experience whatever it was my mind/body was trying to recall, but I had to schedule it in since I already had a full day of activities planned with the kiddos.

So I scheduled it in for today and made arrangements for my kiddo's to do other things outside of the house without me. I explained the situation to my older kids and they seemed to understand and were happy to help (providing I gave them a few $$ for lunch and ice cream while on their walk).

Anyway, I imagine that these sub-conscious anniversaries come up for many people. But I can't help but wonder if, now that I'm aware of the triggers, I'm creating a self-perpetuating cycle of anxiety simply by acknowledging the sources. Is there a way out of this labyrinth of anxiety? Granted, my responses have been less intense since I began paying attention to them, and telling myself that I will in fact allow myself to go ahead and feel whatever it is I need to go through seems to have quelled them a bit (even if I have to schedule it in), but I'd really like to remove them from my sub-conscious calendar entirely some day. So, I'm wondering if anyone here has had any breakthrough's with this sort of thing and if so, what seemed to help?

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 2 replies

Shameless self promotion

2009-01-19T02:02:50Z

I very rarely do this but I wanted to post a link to a live performance by my band King Black Acid. Check it out and comment if you feel like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FClEou45aY

For the Portlander's in the tribe, KBA is playing tonight (1/16/09) at The Crystal Ballroom.
We are also featured on the new soundtrack album for the movie Underworld Three, Rise of the Lycans, along with The cure, Perry Farrell, Alkaline Trio, AFI, and Maynard from tool's new solo project Pucifrous. You can grab that at itunes.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 3 replies

WTF, Florida?

2009-01-18T06:08:50Z

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24274123/

This is very disturbing given that none of these primates are monkeys- they're all lemurs; they are bot native to Puerto Rico (only found in Madagascar) so they couldn't have been caught there and the guy running the refuge runs a zoo and somehow doesn't know the difference between a prosimian and a monkey. Apparently, the Florida Wildlife Commission didn't notice either. I'm not even a zoology major, WTF is going on here?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 14 replies

Free speech and everyday oppression

2009-01-11T18:01:15Z

Like many people on tribe (but not all), I'm not big on authoritarianism - particularly of the paternalistic/hierarchal kind that's arbitrary and based on the whims of the designated authority (meaning not chosen by the people they have authority over). Conversely, I have a great deal of respect for people who earn positions of authority and who use authority with integrity, openness and honesty. It's not authority per se that I have issues with, it's mindless authority since it's oppressive and only serves the authority's needs and purposes. Whether it's nature or nurture, I have a hard time not pointing out this kind of abuse of power when I see it. I value honest discussion over social niceties.

I must say, I come to appreciate this particular tribe and Rich's moderation here more and more - particularly since this tribe has many people with strong voices who think independently. Not surprisingly really since I'm, er, slightly opinionated and vocal myself ;-)

This has come up recently in another tribe I'm in (I'd address it there but the moderator has said no one is allowed to question his moderation or they'll be booted out of the tribe, I'll also refrain from naming the tribe for the same reason and because it's more about the issue than the person to me). This situation has made me think about the personal and political regarding free speech, silencing people via threats as a means to maintain control, and deleting the evidence of any talk the authority disapproves of because, I guess, they're afraid of honest dialogue and hiding the evidence is the only way they feel they can maintain control and power while denying they're being a tyrant. (Of course, life is just much easier if one isn't engaged in trying to control others as a means to control oneself!). Now, granted, I'm pretty used to getting negative reactions for pointing out the elephant that's using up all the air in the room and throwing peanuts, but I do have to wonder about this kind of thing on tribe which is, theoretically at least, an open and egalitarian Burnerish community/space. It also makes me think about how this is going on at a much larger social level - the attempts to make people shut up about things that make the authorities uncomfortable or that point out their fascism. For me, there's definitely a connection between these minor (and largely unimportant) kinds of petty oppression of others and the larger governmental suppression that's been increasing in "free" and "democratic" societies - if we do it ourselves or condone it in small ways, do you think we're opening the door for thinking it's okay in big ways? What do people think? (Not about the tribe thing so much but about allowing and accepting the small acts of oppression as a gateway to accepting or not even noticing larger ones?)

posted in Extreme Honesty - 16 replies

Ack! What is the world coming to?

2009-01-09T16:22:01Z

My best lesbian friend now has a boyfriend and my best fag friend now has a crush on ME!!!!!!!

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 4 replies

Health care discussion group

2009-01-07T21:48:24Z

The guy that Mods the DIY tribe has asked for folks to join a discussion sponsored by Obama's transition team concerning what people want from Health care reform. Since I believe the discussions here are some of the best issue based and topical discourse I thought perhaps some of you may be interested:

I hope this does not come off as spam since that is not the intention
http://tribes.tribe.net/health_care_team-obama

Have a good one
JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 2 replies

More "brawl" than brains?

2009-01-05T16:54:49Z

Okay, so I've had a *crush* on my biology prof all semester. At times it seemed reciprocal, but he's a genuinely sweet, charming and incredibly funny man so it was impossible to really tell if the vibe I was receiving was the same vibe he was sending.

Anyway, I waited out the 16 weeks til the semester was over and went ahead and emailed him asking if we could meet sometime for coffee/tea/lunch/cocktails, now that I'm no longer his student and he's no longer my prof. I hit the send button and of course immediately regretted it.

But lo and behold, 2 days later, he replied with a YES.

He wrote:
"I dig the interest. Very brave and open of you. I like that.
I'm off to california to visit family and warm up a bit.
I'll call you when I get back (around the new year) so we can arrange a date.
Maybe some pizza and chatting to break the ice?"

I am currently on cloud 5 1/2. Will know more once we meet in person.

Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 19 replies

Honesty about Santa Claus?

2008-12-26T03:31:02Z

I've taken the path of -what now seems- most resistance by being upfront and honest about the whole Santa Claus myth. I did this for a few reasons, but the main one was because when I became a single mom again I simply could not afford the sort of Christmas that we'd had before and that their friends and our neighbors seemed to be enjoying. The last thing I wanted was for them to feel that our temporary poverty meant that they were "naughty". They were having a tough enough time without also internalizing Santa's lack as being somehow their faults.

But of course the media, schools and our overall culture of parenting with mythological deceit has done its best to undermine me in this form of compassionate honesty. This year I asked them to tell me what they'd like to believe because I'm open to interpreting this thing in whatever way they feel most comfortable and gain joy from. My littlest ones said they believe in the "spirit of Santa Claus" even though they know I am the one putting presents under the tree. I said okay, "so should we make some cookies for Santa's spirit?" and they looked at me like I'd lost my mind! They both laughed and said, "spirits don't eat COOKIES, mom!". Then I laughed and said we could leave it some rice and we all ended up laughing and tickling each other and just generally feeling happy about the season and the holidays. So, we left it at that for now.

Anyway, I'm curious how those of you with kiddos handle this mythical fat man in a red suit that supposedly creeps into your house while you're asleep issue? (And then we can talk about that life size rabbit that somehow had something to do with zombie Jesus a few months down the road).

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 22 replies

Ah for love of Brevity

2008-12-24T19:54:54Z

http://totallysux.com/staticmedia/1669_short_medium.jpg

The piece is an image file so I could not cut n paste but it sums up doing exactly what a prof asks for no more and no less

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 5 replies

help me die, please...

2008-12-22T05:41:08Z

A Quebec man was recently acquitted for helping his uncle commit suicide (suicide itself is no longer illegal here, it was part of the secularization of Quebec, but assisting suicides is illegal).

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/12/12/mtl-assistedsuicide1212.html

It's one of those things I've been thinking about for most of my life since it's been an ethical debate within medicine for a long time (and there are doctors who have been quietly giving people options and assistance for a long time, under the table of course since it's illegal for them to do so). I also have a friend who teaches medical ethics who made some very salient arguments against it as well, so while I lean towards people having the right to choose, how that option is exercised is important too. I'd be interested to hear what people here think about the matter. (I'm aware of my own bias, which comes from a horror of the idea of being in a position where I didn't have the option to terminate my own life when suffering went beyond what I want - or need - to experience...be it being trapped in my own body or imprisoned and tortured. I'm find the idea of death preferable than being forever immersed in a sea of pain that interferes with my ability to lead a meaningful - to me - life.)

posted in Extreme Honesty - 28 replies

More info on your rights here in the US

2008-12-19T11:39:59Z

I can only hope that Obama restores out civil liberties. I am not certain of this and he is gonna have to prove it. Sooo I have another bit you should know about how the system is supposed to work. Know your rights folks and exercise them
http://lawcollective.live.radicaldesigns.org/

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 1 reply

Jury Nullification

2008-12-19T05:15:34Z

Interesting piece on Jury Nullification. If you are not familier with the concept it allows for a jury to find a person guilty of the crime but the crime as unjust or repugnant.
http://www.rawilson.com/chaos.shtml

"An old idea has resurfaced that may have major potential to slow or even reverse the terrifying erosion of the Bill of Rights under the Reagan-Bush team and their right-wing Supreme Court. I refer to the revival of the ancient Saxon doctrine of Jury Nullification which has now become a projected Constitutional amendment under consideration in 22 states.

Since Mr. Justice Brennan, the last plumb-line defender of civil liberties, has retired, and the Supreme Court seems fated to move even further toward the authoritarian right-wing, only Jury Nullification can preserve what still remains in this perishing Republic of Anglo-American libertarianism.

Jury Nullification rests upon an old Common Law principle (which Lysander Spooner in his scholarly "Essay on Trial by Jury" [1852] proved to underlie the Jury clause of Magna Carta) -- viz, that the only way to prevent the government from imposing unjust or nefarious laws is to grant juries the right to negate such laws. This right, as Spooner demonstrated, explains the tradition that a jury should consist of twelve citizens selected at random and thereby representing (as far as scientifically possible) the full range of common sense and common morality of the population in general (including the recalcitrants and cranks among us, upon whom liberty has always depended in bad times.)

In a once popular formulation, the doctrine of Jury Nullification holds that "a jury may judge the law as well as the facts in the case." Since Magna Carta this has been repeatedly upheld by courts in both England and America, only occasionally denied by lower, and currently remains the law of both countries, although judges have no legal obligations to inform juries that they possess this right. "

Something to keep in mind say if you are called for a Marijuana case and you are against the War on Drugs

JSin

<Note the site has the most annoying animated gif I have ever been bombarded with>

posted in Extreme Honesty - 4 replies

First draft Cooking school essay

2008-12-16T04:42:19Z

ok folks would love some feedback. This is about 340 words... Limit is 150 but I have no clue how to start cutting it.<warning cap lock error not yelling> i WOULD LOVE ANY FEEDBACK YOU MAY HAVE GOOD OR BAD <HONESTLY THE BAD IS MORE SIGNIFICANT TO ME> <end cap lock error>

:::::::::Begin transmission:::::
1. What are your career goals and how do you expect your education at The Art Institute of Seattle to help you attain them?

Ahhh to worship at the feet of the porcine gods. To allow my hand, mind, and knife to concoct the most treasured of morsels. To see the smile of a diner look up at me with shining grease dripping from their chin.

In essence, my goal is, to open my own restaurant and create an atmosphere where both the diner and employee feel as though they are wanted, cared for, and satiated. To do this I know I need credentials from a program that has status within the culinary arts community. I need to know how a kitchen operates. I need to understand what makes the business aspects of running a restaurant work. Above all I need to understand the culinary arts that exist outside of my experience. I need to be influenced by others whether they are instructors or fellow students.

2. In what way are you willing to commit to your education in order to be successful?

I have taught myself to be a carpenter, handyman, tattoo artist and poet. I have taught myself to recognize mold and rot, skin dynamics, and aesthetics. I find now that to teach ones self is folly. I have only made my life harder by deciding I need to reinvent the wheel. What can I commit to, aside from perhaps slaughtering a goat and roasting it over a combination of apple, oak, and hickory? I commit to be teachable above all else. I commit to learn that which has come before me and understand why and how it integrates with that which I wish to do. I commit to understanding the juncture of quality and profitability. I commit to learn to run a restaurant of the highest caliber.

::::::::End Transmission:::::::

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 30 replies

Life experience has made me academically STOOPID

2008-12-16T03:35:27Z

So, I decided to go back to school last August to finish up a handful of credits so I could finally receive this damn degree. I am 38. I have 4 kiddos. One of my kiddos is attending the same college with me. One is in high school and my twins are in first grade. It is because my youngest are now in school with a stable M-F schedule that I decided to go back to school myself. I can't stand having unfinished things hanging over my head. Ahem.

Anyway, I'm fucked.

Of course, I didn't realize how fucked I was until halfway into this semester, and what I did realize wasn't that I'm unintelligent but that I am apparently constitutionally incapable of simply regurgitating back the same putrid vomit I'm being fed. Not anymore anyway. I must've been fairly good at it before because I had a 3.78 GPA and was in the Honors program. But something happened. I learned, because I fucking HAD TO, to think outside of the proverbial box these past 7 years, and now my GPA is on a downward spiral. I know this sounds like another version of the whole martyr B.S..."They just don't get me", but it's not that. I wrote and studied my ass off for some of these classes- way more than I did before- and still couldn't pull anything higher than a low to mid range B.

WTF?

Or, maybe I am more STOOPID now than I was before, but if so, I'll take it. This version of STOOPID has housed, clothed and fed my kiddo's despite the initial odds against that reality. Strangely, I've ENJOYED my classes more (well, most of them) this semester more than I recall enjoying classes in the past. I feel I even learned MORE this time around. Sadly, that doesn't translate into a great GPA or my chances of getting into graduate school next year.

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 26 replies

What The Fart?

2008-12-14T05:03:27Z

Did we lose some threads? It almost looks like they restored posts from a server back up: There are threads missing, some threads have less posts than they used to, etc.

Mein got. If they can do all this, where will they stop?!?!?!

posted in Extreme Honesty - 58 replies

LinkedIn?

2008-12-14T04:45:35Z

I now have 5 invitations to join this 'professional' network. It's supposed to be like facebook minus all the hoopla. I looked into it and can't make any more sense of it than I can with Facebook.

Anyway, I was having dinner with my stepfather tonight, a well respected wildlife film documentary maker as well as published author on screenwriting and head of a graduate school wildlife film documentary program called "Terra", and he said that he also received several invites so he decided to finally go ahead and join an create a profile. Now, teh only reason I mentioned all of his amazing and awe inspiring credentials is because he didn't mention even a single ONE in his LinkedIn profile. I suppose this makes him an "alt".

He used his real name but said that he was the "His Holiness, the XI Bishop of Bessarabia at Principality of Moldova" and that his life's goal is to "make the holy pilgrimage by the feet between Szerbo and Laszka, the path road of martyred St. Fyodor, 1624-1671 to the blessed spring to which miracles to this day today happen still. By the graceful of Iesus Christos, this shall happen the day before I die."

"To connect with His Holiness light candle please, blessed peace be unto all who speak his name."

Did I ever mention how much I love this man? If not, my bad. He is like a brilliant little kid in an old man's body.

But I digress. Anyone here on this networking site?

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 3 replies

Which side of the brain do you lean towards?

2008-12-13T18:03:06Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8fzEYU
Check this out and evaluate yourself . . .

posted in Extreme Honesty - 3 replies

A copy of all SAM=SAM contributions to EH are at . . .

2008-12-08T19:04:27Z

http://tribes.tribe.net/pureawareness

posted in Extreme Honesty - 55 replies

"Time to Say Goodbye to George W. Bush"

2008-12-06T23:56:14Z

This is the gal that runs the theter camp my kids go to as well as the Improv for the Spirit workshop I attended. She is fucking fabulous!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3f6MUtAf-g

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 1 reply

anti-EH drama spreads!

2008-12-06T22:37:26Z

If you happen to be bored and want a bit of sunshine in your life or a bit of trolleric reading watching sunshine try to take over a science tribe (!).....

http://tribes.tribe.net/cognitivescience/thread/d23ea20b-bbe8-4212-815f-23ba89a5d900

sunshine - "cunt is appropriate for you... IMO... Don't like it .... move back to extreme honesty... you can handle it there... Oh, and Extreme Honesty refugees tribe, will not accept either of you, just so you are clear. :)"

The threat that I wouldn't be accepted into tribe refugees and the "insult" that I could handle extreme honesty (while she can't) was so funny I had to post it!

posted in Extreme Honesty - 72 replies

HELL

2008-12-05T16:47:35Z

"Hell"

Basically, there are only three words translated as "hell" in the entire Bible. The word "hell", as we in our time have mythologized it actually NEVER occurs in the entire Bible. It was inserted by the King James translators...and others with the vested interest of controlling the masses through spiritual and literal fear.

The words associated with "Hell"

New Testament (NT) link: www.biblegateway.com/keyword/
(substitute the word Gehenna in each instance that "hell" is used...)

Gehenna (greek)
In the OT, the word for hell is 'ge-hinnom' (hebrew) meaning "Valley of Hinnom." It was a place to the southwest of Jerusalem. This place was once "called 'Topheth' and derived from an Aramaic word meaning 'fireplace.' It was here that some pagan kings practiced human sacrifice by fire (2 Chron. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 7:31; 32:25). This is probably why in the NT the word came to be associated with destruction by fire, as human sacrifices were once stacked like cordwood there and burned in fiery conflagration. Hence, the "burning forever" in torment concept was most likely formed in relation to this valley. The word 'Gehenna' is found in the NT 14 times and every instance is spoken of by Jesus. In the NT, "gehenna" is an actual physical location, the city dump!
The Jews believed this valley to be cursed, and it was turned into a refuse heap, the city dump. It was a jagged crevasse where refuse was hurriedly thrown, since the land there was not fit for any other purpose. Even in modern times, the organic waste in a dump...if left to rot, may eventually spontaneously combust. Such was the case with this valley outside of Jerusalem. I can imagine it to be the very vision of "hell", with the acrid smoke, and smell, perpetual burning and cursed history. I can imagine Jewish parents teasing their children, "If you do not behave, we will take you out to Gehenna and leave you there." Children may have had the task of helping to carry refuse, and knew the place and its horrors well.
This place was within the consciousness of every Jerusalem Jew, and if they needed a reminder, they simply needed to cast their gaze off to the southwest, and the smoky stench rising from it was clearly visible. It is how the desolate vision of hell came into the modern human consciousness. The rest is pure myth supplied by Dante, Milton, and other writers with apocalyptic views.
"Hell" is a word never in the Bible, and "Gehenna" was the word used - for the smelly dump outside the city gates!

Hades
This word only occurs in the NT, ten times, and corresponds to the OT word "sheol." Jesus uses the word four times: Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23. The other six occur in Acts 2:27,31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13,14.
It was probably the "subterranean abode of all the dead until the judgment. It was divided into two departments, paradise or Abraham's bosom for the good, and Gehenna or "hell" for the bad." In particular, in the account of Lazarus and the Rich man of (Luke 16:19-31), it is a place of the conscious dead in waiting.

Sheol
"The Hebrew word Sheol is probably derived from a root "to make hollow," and was seen as the common receptacle of the dead and in the great many places the word appears in the OT, it is referring to the grave. It is a place and is mentioned in Gen. 37:35; Num. 16:30,33; Psalm 16:10, etc. Sheol has many meanings in scripture: the grave, the underworld, the state of the dead. It was supposed to be below the surface of the earth (Ezek. 31:15,17; Psalm 86:13).

These two concepts (Hades/Sheol) are ancient and borrowed from the Greeks and stories and myths back into prehistoric times...to the very earliest memory. The concept of purgatory also springs from them.

Hell is pure mythology, at least as we know it...and is wholly unsupported by the Bible. It is a case of rewriting Biblical statements to support a foregone conclusion. Not one of accepting what is actually written and why.

Tartarus

Tartarus is the lowest region of the world, as far below earth as earth is from heaven. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, a bronze anvil falling from heaven would take nine days and nights to reach earth, and an object would take the same amount of time to fall from earth into Tartarus. Tartarus is described as a dank, gloomy pit, surrounded by a wall of bronze, and beyond that a three-fold layer of night. Along with Chaos, Earth, and Eros, it is one of the first entities to exist in the universe.

While Hades is the main realm of the dead in Greek mythology, Tartarus also contains a number of characters. In early stories, it is primarily the prison for defeated gods; the Titans were condemned to Tartarus after losing their battle against the Olympian gods, and the hecatoncheires stood over them as guards at the bronze gates. When Zeus overcomes the monster Typhus, born from Tartarus and Gaia, he hurls it too into the same abyss.

However, in later myths Tartarus becomes a place of punishment for sinners. It resembles Hell and is the opposite of Elysium, the afterlife for the blessed. When the hero Aeneas visits the underworld, he looks into Tartarus and sees the torments inflicted on characters such as the Titans, Tityos, Otus and Ephialtes, and the Lapiths. Rhadymanthus (and, in some versions, his brother Minos) judges the dead and assigns punishment.

There may be minor Biblical associations with the word Tarturus....in the same vein as Hades/Sheol.

Interesting that all of these concepts are not Christian in any way...but much older ones. I doubt very seriously if Jesus Christ himself taught fear of any of them. The only word he ever used was Gehenna...which was NOT "hell". It was a psychological mindset separated from God's and represented by the Valley of Hinnom, a cursed valley turned into the city dump of Jerusalem! Nothing more! There is NO HELL waiting to burn anyone in torment for eternity! But, if you love suffering and torment and MUST have it in your philosophy and/or religion, knock yourself out!

posted in Extreme Honesty - 151 replies

is eh a religion ?

2008-12-04T02:04:11Z

my answer? YES.

we have all sorts of characteristics of a "cult" or a "religion" or whatever - and heck, since we dont pay usa-taxes - i guess theres THAT benefit too...

sorry - i do not plan on tithe-ing tho... ;-) lol.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 4 replies

The non-sequitur thread

2008-12-03T05:43:12Z

This thread is dedicated to anyone who wishes to make random statements devoid of context, and lacking any specific discussion point.

Think of it as a big room where all those crazy street people yelling at lampposts can congregate.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 25 replies

Ah, family holiday drama. How cliche.

2008-12-03T04:51:41Z

So, my mother is going through divorce #5 thereby altering family holiday get-togethers in some interesting ways. For one, my house is now the designated home for T-day and Christmas/Hannakuh/Solstice celebrations (and yes, some of celebrate one or more of these) because she's moved out into a much smaller place and just isn't all that interested in putting on the big to do. This is fine by me and I've even been enjoying this passing of the torch as it's given me an excuse to allow my inner Martha Stewart free regin. Sadly, it also means that all holidays must now be split up so that we can spend time with my now ex-step-father whom we all love and for three of my kiddo's is the only grandfather they've ever known. Okay, that can be managed as well. Today was to be spent with mom, aka 'grandma' (though she won't actually let my kids call her that) and my clan of 5 as well as 3 close friends and 2 additional kiddos for a total of 10 people and went a little nuts and bought a 20# turkey. I even found a "kid table", and because this is a brand new thing for my little one's they're actually looking forward to sitting at it! haha

And then 'grandpa' is coming over on Sunday for a reprisal of Thanksgiving dinner.

I woke up this morning feeling festive and looking forward to the day as well as to our tradition of playing charades after dinner. I love coming up with obscure and potentially really embarrassing things for people to act out...it's compensation for the fact that, even when dinner was at mom's, I always ended up preparing most of teh food. (Some of my favorites are, "Tales of the Vulgar Unicorn"- book, and "Blazing Saddles"- movie). IOW, I'm more than happy to prepare all of the food as long as I can witness my close friends and family being absolutely silly in the aftermath. That's fair, right?

Anyway, mom called this morning to see if I needed anything else from the store or any additional serving spoons, etc. Er, at least that's why she said she was calling. A few minutes into the convo she said, "By the way, my new boyfriend will be coming into town later this evening and so I invited him over for coffee, dessert and charades".

silence

mom: "Hello? Are you still there?"

me: "Um, well...I wasn't really prepared for additional guests, mom."

mom: "You said you bought a 20# turkey, plus he's only coming over for dessert and I'm bringing pecan pie, remember?"

me: "Okay mom, look, it's not so much about having enough food- though I do have the table set for exactly 10 people- but it's more that I'm simply not ready to meet this new beau of yours. And honestly, I don't think the kids are ready yet either. It's only been 3 months and I would prefer to meet him over coffee or lunch somewhere before having him join us for a holiday meal".

mom: "I wish I'd known you felt that way so that I wouldn't have invited him".

me: "Well, you could've ASKED. Most people ask before they invite additional guests to someone else's house. It's just the considerate thing to do. But you didn't ask...you just invited him and assumed it would be okay. And to be completely honest, aside from teh fact that I haven't yet digested the fact that you and my step-father, aka 'grandpa' are no longer together, I definitely haven't begun to work through how I feel about you dating someone younger than me with children that you spend more time with than your own grandchildren. I'm not saying I don't want to accept him in your life, but that I'm just not as quick at accepting these things as you'd like me to be".

mom: "Well, if that's how you feel then I don't feel comfortable coming over either".

me: "What? You're joking, right? You called to ask me about serving spoons and now there's an ultimatum involved? If I don't feel comfortable having your new boyfriend over then you're not coming either? Look, I realize you're dating someone 21 years younger than you, but now you're acting as if you're 13 years old! I can't believe you're pulling this passive-aggressive bullshit today. I was really looking forward to a holiday meal without all this fucking drama, mom. At any point in the last few weeks you could've simply asked if it was okay to invite him and I would've said that I'd rather meet him some other time, before or after a big holiday get-together. No drama. But instead you manipulated him into the scene with an ultimatum, and I doubt he'd be any more comfortable knowing this than I am".

mom: silence

Apparently she hung up.

Then she called back and left a message (my hands were elbow deep in a 20# turkey carcass so I couldn't answer...probably a good thing) stating that I am painting her as 'the bad guy' and did I know that my step-father was chatting with women on eharmony.com before they even split up? And how dare I not be accepting of her new boyfriend when she's always been accepting of mine? (not altogether true) And that she was going to invite my twins out for a movie so I could have a little time to myself before everyone arrived, and that she has all these mashed potatoes and this pecan pie and what do I expect her to do with them?

Um...I fail to see how my step father's eharmony shenanigans have anything at all to do with this, first of all. He's not issuing ultimatums or passive-aggressive manipulation tactics to force me or my children to accept a new girlfriend. Fortunately, he's healthier and more mature than that. Thaw was just my mother's way of derailing the topic and making any negative reaction I might have invalid. Secondly, I hadn't painted her as 'the bad guy'...I just had some issues of my very own to work through regarding their divorce and then her going on an on about how wonderful this new guy is and how great his kids are. MY ISSUES, not hers, but I haven't had a fucking chance to try to understand them beyond my initial reactions, which is precisely WHY I didn't bring the subject up with her. I was hoping that by the time she ASKED me to meet this new beau, I'd have a better understanding of these reactions and with any luck be ready to meet him without these jaded feelings.

In any case, I called her back and left a message saying that I think we could at least try to put this issue behind us for today and talk about it later when we've both cooled off, and that it's really important to me that we allow the 8 other people involved have a "Happy Thanksgiving" and that perhaps we, if we stop laying blame on each other for this one day, might also have a "Happy Thanksgiving".

So, I'm posting this here because I feel that I was trying to be authentic and diplomatic which clearly didn't work. So I went for extreme honesty, and probably said a few things that could've been worded more diplomatically, yet here we are..at an impasse of sorts and my joy and excitement over being the hostess-with-the-mostess is pretty much gone. I'm working on it though, which is another reason why I'm posting this. To just get it out and perhaps have some dialogue about it that doesn't end with hanging up on me. I realize I can sometimes be insensitive, but this time I felt the need to protect my children's sensitivities as well...and my youngest one's aren't even fully aware that their grandparents have separated. That's my fault. They've just been going through so much that I was trying to wait til after the holidays to tell them.

Ah. FUCK.

end rant.

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 21 replies

So what did you talk about?

2008-12-01T03:04:50Z

Did you have/go to a Thanksgiving dinner? What did you talk about? Did the conversation drift and jump or did you have a main topic of conversation?

I was thinking about that evening and surprisingly enough we didn't discuss Obama a single time. Usually politics is the main topic of conversation with my family. We did still talk about politics which is why I find it funny that our President elect didn't come up at all.
Our conversation drifted quite a bit this time. We talked about the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art and how it was out of money and who was offering to give it money and who isn't. We discussed Somalian pirates and then after that passionate expression throughout history and how the lack of eminent mortality has actually weakened it in the western world, and then I don't even remember how we got on the subject but our longest conversation of the night was about Modern Country Music versus Old Country Music and what exactly is meant by Outlaw Country music and then the roots of Blue Grass ending in how we all agree that Willie Nelson seems so darn nice.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 7 replies

Elaine's martyr thread

2008-11-26T21:21:43Z

Here you go Elaine, your own martyr thread. Now to do this correctly you must assume a contrived and completely delusional sense of superiority and try to convince us all that the whole world would be better if only we followed your path to enlightenment. Think you can handle it?
I should point out however that most likely enlightenment is a code word for reefer.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 47 replies

What have the Chinese [in their Wisdom ! ! ] done?

2008-11-24T16:55:10Z

Had a conversation today with a Tibetan Monk, and the final thought was that Tibetan Buddhism may (only MAY) diminish considerably when the old Lamas from Tibet finally hit the grave . . . taking their knowledge with them . . . Will it really matter to you? ?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 40 replies

This is a tribe for people who STRIVE FOR complete honesty

2008-11-24T14:28:02Z

Oh . . . I get it now . . . A work in progress group hey??

strive (strv)
intr.v. strove (strv), striv·en (strvn) or strived, striv·ing, strives
1. To exert much effort or energy; endeavor.
2. To struggle or fight forcefully; contend: strive against injustice.
[Middle English striven, from Old French estriver, from estrit, estrif, quarrel; see strife.]
striver n.
striving·ly adv.

2. To struggle or fight forcefully . . .WELL, A LOAD OF PEOPLE IN THIS TRIBE DO THAT . . . including me.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 55 replies

It's Me or Madonna

2008-11-23T23:25:32Z

My friend is obsessed with Madonna. I put up with his constant Madonna talk for years - seriously worshipful stuff: Her Royal Highness etc. Once I asked him to go for 30 mins without one reference to her & he couldn’t! Anyway, before he drove me half crazy with Madonna talk I thought she was OK, though for me she peaked on her second album (let’s not get into a fight about it).

Anyway I read some pretty serious stuff about Madonna and her recent behaviour on the net: Banning her support act from talking to her; her crew threatening to walk because she treated them so poorly & also some quite disturbing conspiracy theory about her Illuminati connections… I thought she sounded like she had gone mad with power - & who can blame her with the nut case fans she has…

So my friend - OB - just got back from seeing her in two concerts in the USA - where he listened obsessively to her on the way over (& I presume back). I think that’s about 16 hrs….It’s mind boggling to me - someone who basically puts on a CD when she’s cleaning. So I decided to take action: I told him it was Me or Madonna. I could no longer tolerate his worshipful references to her. That was on Saturday & I haven’t heard from him since. I don’t expect to, either.

At first I thought that Madonna would win for sure & just accepted that. But the more I think about it the more pissed I get. I’m a real person. His friend. She’s a fantasy. A stranger he will more than likely never even meet let alone know. I heard she instructs people not to meet her eyes.

So I’m glad I did what I did. I think it’s finally woken Me Up to how friggin nutso my ’friend’ is! I know ultimatums are hard things to give but it really was my way of reaching into his poor deluded brain for the last shred of sanity there… Sadly I think he’s not uncommon…

Thoughts?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 69 replies

EH can often act as a mirror

2008-11-23T19:35:28Z

I've found that this tribe offers a method that draws out and often reflects back how an individual deals with conflict...even when said individual is otherwise, or seemingly, ignorant of it themselves. Sometimes it happens with the first few posts a person makes, and other times it may take weeks or months. Of course, this is all highly subjective as it's simply what I've noticed, and perhaps others have noticed something completely different. But I find it incredibly interesting nonetheless.

The BEST part is that those most comfortable posting here aren't necessarily reflecting the same characteristics. Among the *core* group, or cluster of EH members that post here regularly and comfortably, there do seem to be two shared characteristics; a B.S. detection-o-meter (for others as well as ourselves) and a healthy sense of humor. Some are laid back, casual and tend to 'go with the flow', while others may find themselves 'up in arms' more quickly. Some offer snappy one-liners sarcastic come backs while others dig down into the deepest recesses of their psyche and thesaurus. But we've all come to accept these differences, expect them to some degree and even tease the shit out of each other for them without having little hissy fits and storming out of the room (the tribe), only to come back later and pick apart what's wrong with the entire tribe as a whole.

The WORST part is that those who didn't pass the B.S. detection-o-meter do have little hissy fits, storm out of the room (the tribe) and come back at least a few times in order to pick apart what's wrong with this tribe as a whole. As if it's even possible to treat a tribe of highly individuated folks as a single unit!

But, getting back to the topic, prior to determining one's level of comfort here it seems as if there is this mirror effect taking place. Folks who consider themselves pacifists IRL may take on a rather passive-aggressive role here. Folks that considered themselves upfront and brazen IRL may find themselves acquiescing and diplomatic here. Folks who consider themselves intellectuals may find that their brand of self-righteousness is taken with a teeny, tiny grain of salt and those that see themselves as simple, good ol' boys (or girls) may find they have a profound effect on folks here. Ya just never know.

Personally, I love it here, even if it's not always warm and fuzzy...or perhaps BECAUSE of it?

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 14 replies

Wendigo the Whacko

2008-11-23T06:46:23Z

I just got back from Wal-Mart (oh the horror) and our local, crazy, homeless man, Wendigo was there - stealing socks and singing operatic love songs to a head of lettuce. It was an event. He used to haunt the library and bark like a rabid dog until Megan (librarian) told him that dogs weren't allowed in the library on days ending in "Y" and that seemed to work for him - no more barking...

But anyway - the guy is really harmless just mad as a hatter. To say his cheese slid off the proverbial cracker is an understatement. We have had him here for dinner before because he followed me home from the library one night. We all had to eat on the floor using only the blue plates and spoons... Try eating pork chops with spoons!!!

But I see a lot of people with their sideways glances and pity in their eyes. Mothers running away with their children (which in all honesty, I probably would too). But I envy him to some degree. He is not unhappy. Homeless, yes. But he doesn't care. We all feed him and kind of keep an eye on and out for him. Make sure he has places to stay when it gets cold (he sleeps at the park usually in the summertime). But in his own bizarre way he is so much more free than any of us. He lives in his own self induced reality and thrives - in his own way.

I think often times we all feel sorry for those that we view as "less fortunate" when really we may be missing the point entirely - and completely missing out on something truly extraordinary.

Or do I - with one foot in the looney bin - just have a romanticized vision of the whack job that looms just on the other side of the mirror?

What are you thoughts?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 14 replies

Me and my shadow

2008-11-19T04:59:05Z

If you were part of Extreme Honesty at Tribe Refugees and would like to continue in that group you will need to rejoin.

A former tribe member and egotistical asshole became an admin there and apparently started messing with things. Before unsubbing there, he deleted the Extreme Honesty group. This shadowy individual has harrassed me in the past but I figured after a couple of years he'd let it go. His immaturity, selfishness, and general lack of respect for others has surfaced again.

Anyhow, please resign up for the new Extreme Honesty group at http://triberefugees.ning.com/group/extremehonesty . I intend the group to be there as a back up in case Tribe.net goes belly up but it does occassionally perk up with threads all on its own.

Thanks to Ms. Dynomite for putting tribe refugees together and top Wild appache for pointing out our missing group.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 33 replies

it doesn't do any good..

2008-11-16T14:03:11Z

.. to lecture people who are deliberately fucking with you.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 34 replies

Fuck Politics

2008-11-13T05:32:46Z

It's all fate. It's all what it will be. It's in the cards and it's in the plan. A plan for me and you and your offspring.

Are you kidding me that you think your vote makes a fuckin' difference in how it will all end up? In the end? My gosh. It's all a game, it's all destiny.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 61 replies

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-11T08:53:09Z

My absolute FAVORITE pseudo-holiday of the year.

How are ya'll celebrating?

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 70 replies

Extreme Honesty Presidential Poll

2008-11-11T08:51:41Z

Please follow these simple rules...

1) Post who you voted for or definitely will vote for.

2) Your post should contain two words and they should be a first and last name.
If you wish to post "not voting by choice" or a two word choice along with "non-US citizen" that's ok too.

3) Please don't editorialize in this thread. If you'd like a place to explain your vote please start a new thread for comments, opinions, and the inevitable really nasty political argument.

I'll start...

4)

posted in Extreme Honesty - 13 replies

Obama did it.

2008-11-11T08:47:44Z

So very happy.Just had to share.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 28 replies

Question re: romantic relationships

2008-10-31T18:51:43Z

Is it, or is it not fucked up for your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner/whatever to tell you, when you are sick, that they "don't feel like being nurturing" and express a desire to leave you alone? Assume that they have given you a minimum of help during your illness so far, ie brought you tea, hung out for a bit just sharing space, not actively checking on you, then left? And not really checked on you since then except to shoot you a Facebook message saying, "Hope you're feeling better."

Completely hypothetical, of course.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 37 replies

Feeding the homeless

2008-10-31T13:15:16Z

So the other evening a friend was with my son and I as we were going to pick up food from a local Mexican place. A homeless person asked us for money as we were about to enter and I told him I didn't have any but I'd buy him some food. I've been doing this for years. Not as a consistent thing, mind you, but now and then when I can afford it and a homeless person (or runaway kid) looks hungry and asks me for money I'll offer to get them food because I make it a policy to never ever give out money.
Anyway this guy looked pretty skinny and he said he did want food so I got him a plate of rice and beans and tortillas. He was cool and said, "thanks" and waved at my son and my son smiled at him.
When we got to the car my friend told me she didn't think it was a good idea to talk to the homeless and that I was teaching my son that strangers were OK by doing what I did. I was more than a bit irritated by her comments. One, I don't hang out talking to the homeless. If someone looks like they might be mentally ill then I of course stay clear but if someone is just down and out why shouldn't I be kind? And two, why should I teach my son that he should just ignore people who are in need?
Her opinion was now that I am a mother I shouldn't be doing things like that anymore. Her words were something to the tune of "It is alright to be all liberal and save the world risky when you are young and single but you've got a child now and you have to think about more than yourself."
The old me would have probably torn into her but ironically since I have a child now I am pretty careful about arguing in front of him and exposing him to negativity so I changed the subject. I was really kind of shocked at how much she made out of that. What risk did she think we actually took by feeding some poor old guy who was hungry? And now that I have a child shouldn't I care even more about saving the world? And the whole idea that he should be fearing strangers is silly. Yes, I will teach him how to protect himself from predatory people and teach him not to talk to strangers when his mom or dad aren't near but you can help him to be safe without teaching that all strangers are bad. Also the idea that a homeless person is somehow a more dangerous stranger to your child than a non-homeless one is just a wrong headed myth. The vast majority of child predators are as normal looking as anyone else. We talked to several other "normal" looking strangers that day and she didn't think that was any problem.

Anyway, I'm interested in hearing what some others think about this sort of thing.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 14 replies

Miss-Information and Enlightenment Awareness

2008-10-31T02:42:25Z

> IN SERVICE TO Clarity of Mind

> It's feels like time to cut thru the MISS-
> INFORMATION surrounding ENLIGHTENMENT. .
>
> It's time to explore this issue FULLY for the
> benefit of our Earths Survival.
> It can alter some individual journeys, due to
> NOT falling down the traps;1) Society has set
> for us, 2) We have set for us, 3) Lack of clear
> information has set for us.

> Clearly, we have ALL been born to LIVE, real
> CLARITY in the World around us,
> . . . But due to MISS-INFORMATION, . . . we
> knowingly-unknowingly absorbed thru our Lives,
> to known-unknown forces in the World, Clarity
> DOES NOT HAPPEN for all of us. [This too will change].
>
> MUSIC TV is singing right NOW in the background
> “”WAKE UP,
> WAKE UP,
> WAKE UP,
> WAKE UP,
> wake up to the manipulation””
>
> Pink Floyd sang it clearly, as did many others
> in music, film, writing, paintings, drawing,
> photography, etc.
>
> It’s IN the category of “THE EARTH IS FLAT”
> All the evidence showed that the Earth was round,
> BUT
> . . . It didn't stop, the consensus of the day,
> saying the Earth was flat, (and that was only a
> few seconds ago, in Earth history)---ONLY a few
> Hundred Years Ago, our time . . .
>
> Similarly, as a group of people on this Earth,
> many have been hoodwinked into thinking that;
> . . . Enlightenment is DIFFICULT to comprehend
> . . . We cannot talk about IT [to a certain
> degree true]
> . . . We must follow a GURU, a recognised
> Teacher, or Lineage of Teachers, or a pathway
> designated BY someone else
> . . . THE PROCESS of CLARITY into ENLIGHTENED
> AWARENESS, is DIFFICULT to conceptualise-
> experience-and KNOW, . . . .
>
> IS THIS ALL a blatant UN-TRUTH ???
>
> [Something I read years ago was a paper on an
> obscure subject, that around c.1900 was in ONE
> book published, followed by another book several
> years later. This, over a period of 50 or so
> years, was followed by 70+ books until one guy
> at the end of the process did a study that
> established that all 70+ books came from most of
> the information from the first and second book .
> . . Nothing else was of any REAL relevance.]
>
> How THIS Writer established Clarity, [in this
> Life], DID NOT COME from any religion, or book,
> or person
> . . . the Writers’ Awareness came from a
> personal event
> . . . that created the decision to live TRUTH,
> . . . in every moment of every day,
> . . . It came from breaking away (from all
> current ways found in Society) and going
> directly IN to TRUTH.
>
> The process of living TRUTH in every aspect of
> Life
> . . . CREATED THE INNER ENVIRONMENT for the
> experience to HAPPEN by itself (to unfold
> effortlessly), and to become so amazing that
> research to unearth others who have this same
> experience, was a very juicy recent experience,
> and the writer realized that this experience is
> transferable to the Minds and experience of
> others.
>
> WE can NOT grow a lettuce when the environment
> does not support that growth
> . . . Our Culture of Mis-information we ALL have
> been exposed to, has not supported the growth of
> our OWNERSHIP of OUR OWN Enlightenment Awareness
> in its Clarity.
>
> It does not feel to me to be an isolated
> experience that has happened to the writer . . .
> This feels to be a planetary unfolding of
> Awareness happening here, between us
> . . . that we are ALL PART OF...

> Every person on this planet EARTH is related to
> you.
> The TRANSFORMATION IN AWARENESS,. . . of every
> person seems to BE a part of the Planetary
> Awareness in progress.
>
> IN SERVICE TO THIS "I AM"
>
> What are your thoughts???
> ESTABLISHING the process that Transforms into
> simple understandings
> . . . Is a process of Education-not an altered
> state of High Awareness
> . . . Blind Freddie can do it
> . . . It is NOT a Religion
>
> Call it whatever you like
> . . . FREEDOM,
> . . . Clarity
> . . . Enlightenment
> . . . OR, just a time in your Life when you say to
> yourself, . . ."Oh! ! , So that’s what IT IS . . . '
> . . . ‘THE WAKE UP CALL’ HAPPENS
> . . . Enlightened Awareness
> It does NOT MATTER WHAT IT IS CALLED
> . . . .It is An Experience we can all avail
> ourselves INTO . . .[if you so Allow IT to BE . . .] .

> Do you think it is Earth time for its people to
> live in Clarity of Awareness ???

> Where IS the information that cuts thru the Miss-
> Information found by many of us???

> It sounds like a tribe for this needs to be
> established, and later this may be so.

SO FAR THE COMMENTS ON THIS TRIBE ARE NOT IMPRESSIVE, SO IT WAS RELOADED TO SAVE THE INTERESTED PLOWING THRU IT TO GET TO WORTH-WHILE CONTENT . . . MAYBE THE ABOVE NEED TO BE WRITTEN MORE SIMPLY . . . LET ME KNOW PLEASE . . .
>
> Regards and Blessings
> Sam
>

posted in Extreme Honesty - 74 replies

RESPONDING CONTRIBUTORS FEEDBACK SITE

2008-10-31T02:40:29Z

Where is the champagne, AND chocolate? . . .

Judgement, hostility, combined with mostly negativity comments, is what the writer seemed to observe, as the combination found on the 6 blogs sent out by the writer on EXTREME HONESTY . . . Few of the 22 responding contributors have interacted with the subject initially written about . . . (Some did very well) . . .
Most responding contributors have preferred to use the site to denigrate the experiences of the writer and others . . . sort OF, out of touch with the words shared . . . not that it matters . . . it’s only 22 people after all.

Yoon = 23 replies
Elaine = 22 replies
Fifi = 22 replies
The writer = 20 replies
Josh = 13 replies
dave, J Sin, Mammoth = 10 replies each
Quelle = 9 replies
Wild = 8 replies
Misha, Ha li,l. = 7 replies each
Nicole = 6 replies
Quan, Ann, Rich, Free, = 4 replies each
Jin, Ali = 3 replies each
Harold, B.E.B., = 2 replies each
Wand, Saddha, Paidia = 1 reply each

Interesting hey!
. . . But, it makes no difference what the result of the blog contributions are, . . . to think otherwise is TRYING2 put a fence thru the ocean, . . . which ultimately is impossible . . .

The ‘Guru Trip’ is sometimes the high-jacking of the INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS of the individuality, instead of the empowerment of it
. . . the empowerment, the writer agrees with,
. . . YET, the writer, seems to hav been the brunt of anger from many sources on this tribe . . . one of which is because of the ‘Guru Trip’ some felt erroneously dumped upon by what was written . . .

Also in the words of this tribe description is a few words about compassionate something or other
. . . that was seeeeeemingly lacking along the way
. . . treatment in this tribe is a bit like being ripped apart by a pack of dingoes (wolves in the US).

It "IS AS IT IS" hey
. . . AND, do whatever you want with the information
. . . it came free to the writer and it is given back freely.

Great stuff . . .
THANK YOU. . . . .

posted in Extreme Honesty - 73 replies

THE DARK SIDE

2008-10-31T02:37:27Z

How many of you can be ruthlessly HONEST about the DARK SIDE of your character . . . seeing as you are relatively safe to express this . . . What do you hav to say for yourselves . . .???

posted in Extreme Honesty - 117 replies

"How great is the RATE OF CHANGE, that you Allow in your Life?"

2008-10-31T02:30:58Z

"How great is the RATE OF CHANGE, that you Allow in your Life?" The question in my experience is that ! ? ?

All of the motivation prior (to coming to this question) can be a trigger to break thru (into the WHO you may THINK you want to BE, is [sometimes] like a wheel spin, 5feet off the ground) . . . surely so . . . BUT . . .

What stops the Rate of Change happening in the first place . . . ! ? ! ? ?
Also, "Is more of whatever you may think you want, what Life is about (for you) anyway??"

Develop the 'Rate of Change' and you will find the wheel spins may not occur . . .
Develop the 'Rate of Change' and everything in abundance will/can easily happen for you . .
Too much 'stuff', may then become the issue . . . (for some) . . . . money, sex, property, . . .
Beyond 'Stuff' is the calm, the stillness, . . . the juice sharable . . .

The . . . Abun D A N C E . . . is there ALREADY . . .
Allowing it INto your life may not be . . .
Rate of Change development can be anything at all . . . highly individual for every person . . . Yoga for some, money for others, both for the 3rd . . .

By Allowing the abundance as a given, that already exists in your life, the change Allows more than what you need afterwards . . .
When is enough, enough of what it is, that is needed to work thru your life . . . to the place of Stillness where nothing is needed . . .
Cause all of everything is available to you . . .
This has been done over and over . . . by many people . . .

What we all say to ourselves stops our individual rate of change from blossoming . . . ! ! !

Just a thought . . .

posted in Extreme Honesty - 32 replies

Why Can't I Own a Canadian?

2008-10-30T20:36:42Z

Perhaps some of you have seen this already, but I just about DIED laughing! No doubt, I'm going to hell for laughing so heartily, but at least I can take a few of you with me, eh?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.humanistsofutah.org/2002/WhyCantIOwnACanadian_10-02.html

Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,
Jim
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 24 replies

Sunshine

2008-10-29T20:24:16Z

Has left the tribe. I did not remove her although I certainly would have enjoyed it.

posted in Extreme Honesty - 19 replies

Your thoughts?

2008-10-28T22:38:40Z

"In case you're wondering, yeah, I am still sore about you dogging me for the shallow entertainment of your jerk-off Orange Cafeteria Internet show-n-tell friends, "confiding" in them that you lost all respect for me. That's why this "long lost sometimes comrade" hasn't had a hell of a lot to say to you lately. Don't tell me (and everybody else in your Oprah Winfrey emo-circle jerk party) what a shit I am and then continue to send me pieces of song lyrics, drunken admonishments about your stupid birthday, gloating updates about how all your dreams are coming true and toned-down revisions of those updates when it all comes crashing down.

Good luck with your damn cookbook. Try not to give yourself away so cheaply to the next good looking, artsy guy who's actually nice to you next time, huh?"

Oh and btw, the previous friend/fuckwit was my first "sweetie", so factor that in as you analyze/deconstruct.

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 28 replies

In the warmth of a friend.

2008-10-28T02:33:00Z

In their pain or sorrow, time of need, would you allow an embrace of passion?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 11 replies

Out of Character ?

2008-10-26T15:50:42Z

This is a concept I have been considering..

If a person is acting "out of character" are the actions of that person an anomaly or does the fact they are acting "out of character" indeed redefine their character and become part of it ?

Is a person's character defined by each and every action they take - even if they only do something once in there life ?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 15 replies

Great essay on "Real Alaskans" by one

2008-10-26T02:35:47Z

With all of Palin's talk of Real america I found this essay interesting
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/383843_alaska19.html?source=mypi

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 10 replies

So sick of it

2008-10-23T03:21:26Z

This election sucks man. I can't wait for this shit to be over before I lose even more respect for people on both sides. The whole thing has just become so dirty. Does anyone even care about the facts anymore?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 64 replies

The dichotomy of being beautiful

2008-10-19T16:41:11Z

Just a rant.

The beautiful men I've met seem to have this self-perception that their mere presence is a gift to others that requires little effort on their part other than simply being there. This is the curse of being a beautiful man in our culture (powerful men experience a similar phenomenon)…they are rewarded for minimalist efforts in their personal dealings. People quite simply want to be near them and will put up with a lot, give them a lot, in order to hold that coveted status. I’ve seen it all many times before because I am a beautiful enough woman to attract these beautiful men.

This is also why I have been hesitant to date beautiful men in the past 6 years. They have the tendency to treat women (even the truly amazing one’s) as interchangeable and disposable without being consciously aware of it.

But, it's not the same for beautiful women. Not in this culture anyway. We’re perceived as arm candy, trophies, something to adorn one’s life with and the moment the shiny-ness factor wears off we’re traded in. That is, unless we happen to find ourselves a sweet and not-so-beautiful man that worships us and isn’t afraid to express his adoration and (hopefully) admiration. This is why I’ve tended to stick with ‘geeks’ as lovers. Beautiful women are not expected to be smart or funny or vulnerable and when we are, it’s to our detriment. We’re expected to look good and be made of Teflon. The moment we don’t look so good we must acquire other skills in order to remain valuable. The moment we’re no longer valuable is when the Teflon coating comes in handy.

As beautiful men age they become even more coveted, yet as beautiful women age they become more disposable (it seems to me anyway). Or perhaps we become furniture. Something that may need the occasional dusting off but otherwise is simply there to be of use.

feeling jaded and frustrated,

-K

posted in Extreme Honesty - 112 replies

Norman Joe (or Jane) up for election

2008-10-06T13:37:17Z

Once again we have someone running on the "I am a normal person just like you" ticket. And people are actually falling for it! Sarah Palin is not normal like anyone! That lady is a scary. Why are people so keen to vote in someone because they have things in common with them? Since when is being a hockey mom a presidential qualification? Or even a Vice Presidential one?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 104 replies

Do you stand by your friends

2008-10-06T10:56:40Z

...or say bugger them, I'm OK.

In school: Your friend gets picked on in the playground, do you wade in fists swinging?
On Tribe: Your friend gets a verbal slagging. Do you retaliate with your verbose assault rifle?
On the street: Your friend gets mugged, do you jump in irrespective of the danger?
In Europe: Your friend Georgia and part of NATO gets invaded, would you bomb the Russians?

So do you stand by your friends, should you stand by your friends, irrespective of the consequences?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 17 replies

God or The Devil?

2008-10-06T06:32:36Z

who are you voting for in November and why?

posted in Extreme Honesty - 20 replies

Exotic meat

2008-10-04T01:03:23Z

Ok I will cop to it.

I love to cook, I love exotic ingredients especially meats that many consider exotic.

While I have not used various African species I have used a fairly wide range of American game from antelope to various reptiles.

So what do ya folks think. Are animals taken as game <responsibly mind you in season and from areas that have been ID'd as in need of control>

Is it different than cooking say fresh wild caught fish <if so why>

How would ya feel if for example you were served Rattlesnake on a date meal?

JSin

posted in Extreme Honesty - 30 replies

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