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Check out The American Empire is Bankrupt by Chris Hedges

You'll need a strong cup of coffee if you do as this article is not for the fainthearted. It's one of those "read at your own risk" kinds of articles. My buddy in Hawaii sent it to me today. It came on the heels of my telling him I was in the process of cutting down my possessions to near monk-like proportions in my latest move, and he told me, "Ah, good thing ... if this article is true!"

In my view, what is in this article has been in the making for years now . . . but soon it will no longer be deniable. I knew there had to be a hidden agenda behind our trusted government -- in league w/ the Federal Reserve Bank (a/k/a "Looters-Are-Us"), the US Treasury and the "Big Banks" (the only one's they were interested in saving) -- just GIVING AWAY (code speak is "bailouts") nearly 2 TRILLION dollars (money that doesn't exist, by the way, except at the end of the Fed's printing presses!) to those banks and brokerage houses and INSURANCE firm (AIG), with NONE of the funny money finding its way into the hands of the little guys in the form of low-interest credit, etc. Reason: the big guys are going to need something to live on while holed up in their safe living areas as the rest of us are lining up for food and doing our best to stay alive in a lawless society.

I hate to dump such a negative article on us -- but I honestly believe that this is a reality ... or very near close to it beginning to unfold. (The scenes could be worse than painted or better ... one simply has no way of knowing tho.) I also believe that "as we give we receive" and that the US government (with the blind tacit support of Americans for decades) has been "giving" a lot of crap to a LOT of people of the world for a LOT of years (and TAKING as well) -- all for corporate profit.

I'll be called "unAmerican" for this view, I'm sure, conspiratorialist, etc., among other things, but nevertheless, I believe that we as a people are reaping what we ALLOWED our government and it's overt support of unbridled capitalism to sow. (Consider this: when MILLIONS of Europeans were taking to the streets to protest the Bush Co.'s clearly amoral war of aggression soon to be unleashed on Iraq in 2003, 99% of Americans sat snugly in their houses watching American Idol, totally unmoved by what was about to be done in our names. (On Oahu, Hawaii, where I was living at the time -- an island with a then population of about 850,000 -- there were only 700 of us who showed up in the streets to protest the insane and horrific "pre-emptive war" about to be entered into in our names.) I do not believe God looks kindly on innocents being killed for others' wealth -- while those causing it (by tacit consent) eat bon-bons in front of their TVs and live in quiet delusion about it.

Yup ... I'll probably be called "preachy" or "sanctimonious" or other things for saying so, but I do think we WILL be reaping what we, collectively as a nation, have sown. God's mercy is unending, yes -- but justice is justice too. The thing I guess we need to ask ourselves now is what individually needs doing so that we can be there for our family, friends and neighbors AND so that we are in a position to help those that are in need the most and all on their own when the 'chit' really hits the fan. (The main thing I'd recommend is to have SEEDS to plant so one can provide food. www.seedstrust.com has heirloom seeds to purchase that are superior to most commercially produced ones. Well worth checking out the site and HAVING them -- just in case.)

Right now, I'm doing my best to pay off my car loan so that I can sell it and possibly move back to Hawaii if need be. I'll ship my trusty bike with me on the flight. Just recently I learned of an organic farm in Hawaii where they have internships (work four hours per day) where one can live very inexpensively (my thinking? ... safe and serene away from the insanity of urban chaos that will most assuredly ensue once lawlessness is the order of the day.) Any "activists" will be imprisoned (in those mid-west detention centers the government has built under the radar) and I don't plan to be among them. I laid up my "activist" gloves quite a few months ago because I realized there is a crooked system in place that is well beyond the tipping point. I also think that occurred because too many of us failed to see things clearly sooner and so many did not speak up when there was time to change things -- say, in the last 25-30 years or so.

Too much trust in a corrupt greedy government run by banks and businesses and a government sold to the highest bidders via corrupt lobbying -- and selling us the lie that prosperity at the cost of others was our birthright -- has brought us here, in my view. This might be considered a narrow, narrow view by many here, but it's what I've come to see as true, what can I say?

So on this wonderfully uplifting note ... I say "Aloha!" I didn't want to post this article ... but felt compelled to. Hey, if it IS true, though, isn't it good to know it so we can live in a faith-filled state and "hear" what we'll need to know and where we'll need to place our feet as the days unfold?

Naomi

Nothing new. Obama already said things would get worse before getting better. And the better may not be what we want and have grown accustomed to. "Change" is inevitable with the problem caused by greed and lust for war. The time span involved for the better is of course up for grabs while the worse gets worser. Better times may be as far away as 25 years, some same more, and while we wait with baited breath our politicians serve to increase military spending in an attempt, as they see it, to conquer evil others. But who is really to blame and who put us citizens in this situation but Washington via greedy citizens? Government is the people and the people are played by savy elitists and con men.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization will meet next week in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The U.S. not invited, and denied attendance upon U.S. request. Imagine that.

"...isn't it good to know it so we can live in a faith-filled state and "hear" what we'll need to know and where we'll need to place our feet as the days unfold?"

It's always prudent to understand the things that work against us. Debt is one of those things. I consider war mongering Right Wing extremist Christians another. These, should they attempt a revolution, would cause many non-Right innocent people to be killed while they themselves hide away under cover of their religious freedom dodging blame. This already proven in their dodging blame for murders in the past few weeks. The media excusing the actions of those many as "one lone gunman".

Where to place one's feet? I recommend outside the Right Wing extremists camp. The camp that pretends to be peace loving but inside are crazed lunatics who spout "we're gonna take OUR country back", using coded words that implant a reconstructionist dominionist and militia style uprising[attack] on "the government". For which they would of course not succeed but cause a lot of people not associated with them to be killed. I don't worry about Iran building up its nuclear energy. I worry about the Right Wing building a WMD right here in the U.S.

Just re-read my post above and wished I'd never sent it. It's the kind of thinking that does me no good -- as it leaves no room for grace ... forgiveness ... redemption ... or hope for a better outcome.

I guess all I REALLY want to say -- after digesting the article a little bit more (and realizing it wasn't penned by the Creator, after all) is that along w/ considering getting those terrific seeds I mentioned, cultivate joy and trust no matter the talk of dark clouds ahead. It's really the only way to live, eh?

(Sorry if my negative rant spoiled anyone's day. I need to take the advice of an almost friend I once knew: never send off the first thing you write, no matter how genuine the feeling at the time!)

Naomi

Dear Naomi, you've harmed no one. We all get disgusted with the political flavor every now and then. Sometimes it's good to just get it off your chest. You'll feel better tomorrow.

Now if you'll excuse me I've got to run and tell CS about another Republican Right Wing enthusiast who has been caught with his pants down. I think he resigned his congressional position. Funny I can't remember his name. Oh well, he must not be that important.

I'm glad that you think of me from time to time.

You, however, are always on my mind...

Heck CS, on this forum I'm practically sleeping with you - the enemy.