I feel that health insurance should come before, car insurance; do you care more about your car or yourself? I personally feel like I am on Medicaid and SSI, while they have cut a lot of funding in Texas, I am on trial, it almost feels, just to keep my SSI check, I have to stop going to school. While I have no car, no television, pretty much all I have is some clothes and a computer. Interesting thing, if I could feel comfortable enough in society, I could make plenty of money, as the computer industry is not doing to badly. The biggest problem is that my dreams mean more to me than any job. To see you as president was one of those dreams, yet another, was to see cloning, it is the largest technological advancement, in history. Birth, to, cloning, so, can you clone vegetable oil into a better gasoline, that Neil Young used on his tour, it takes much less, yet you can grow it? You could theoretically grow genetically altered plants; enhanced to the exact specifications that one desires, I heard there were even some glowing fish out there. Sit in the dark and your fish glow, what is next?
China is the richest country in the world, because of technology. What are advancements in robotic enhancements, to the human body? Such as robotic heart research, these hearts require programming for situations that one get into, the problem is there are so many different things that can happen to a person. The only way to control it would be to connect your heart to a satellite in space, and have programmers on the ground watching your heart. What kind of dream is that? Peoples hands are easy to build, I would think compared to a heart. You could literally, give someone a hand. My ex-boyfriend Roney, passed away, almost a week, maybe two after I was tested for HIV and did not have it. I never got the chance to tell him, the next call I received he was in the ICU, and after that, I fell apart.
I should graduate from community college, this semester, I will have Associates in the Field of Music, I would love to go to Julliard in New York, but I would have to win a massive scholarship or something like that. UNT is a great college, although, someone I know, who doesn’t like me, is living there, so I am looking at moving out of Texas at some point, I want to move to New York, but I have no money. Music is a hard career field! I have this dream of creating a public broadcast music television station. The meaning of life is the purpose of the day. To teach people that love is not something that should be overlooked. Nice people, instead of bloody murders on television. Poetry, music, dancing; everything you need to have a great time, instead of instilling thoughts in people’s minds. Show them what reality is like, not a dream someone had.
Dreams of this television station are what I live for, without this dream, I would not exist. I hope you understand I am trying as hard as I can to grasp what it takes to be a working force in the community, to spread love. I remember once, I was throwing up half a heart, looking for the other half, walking down the road. The police stopped me and asked me if there was some new gang in town, I laughed, when they told me to go inside I did, and never really tried that again, although it was humorous, I saw it as a peace sign.
RAVE -N-
The Search for the Meaning of Life…
Love…
Wesley Warren Smith
After interviewing another post-election withdrawal sufferer, a talk-radio psychologist blurted out her cure for the nation, “Get a life!” Cameras panned to a man playing golf. The TV anchor recommended sufferers take up a hobby. Wrong!
Here is a more comprehensive cure for what ails us:
1. The global economy can no longer be dependent or sustained on American gluttony! We need to return to slow, smart growth focused on sustainability, not speculation. No more get-rich quick schemes. No more corporate welfare bailouts to fiscally irresponsible companies and CEO’s with policies that encourage greed. We need a mandate for a global green economy supporting worldwide innovation and integrity. 2. We must return to a pre Wal-Mart society where quality, not quantity matters. More is NOT better, as we see in expanding waistlines and credit card debt. You say ‘no way’, I say ‘there is no other way’. We must insist on global corporate criteria to ensures the same labor, environmental, and safety standards are maintained, stopping corporate continent hopping for shareholder profits. When trade is encouraged under universal regulations, local economies will thrive without the threat of job loss.
3. We need to connect the final and most important dots to cure America's post-election withdrawal. We don’t need to “Get a life!” We need to call unto our ‘better angels’, replacing our hedonistic society with a more altruistic one. We need to feed our vacant souls and “GET A PASSION!”
Election 2008 taught us that we need passion and meaning in our lives. When we serve a cause higher than ourselves, serving others, not just our own interests, we are inspired, fired up, willing to take action. Isn’t this why the election meant so much to so many? Isn’t this why people who had never voted were suddenly motivated to make a difference, interacting with others! Common ground towards a common good engaged the nation, much like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina. But we don’t a disaster to engage our better angels.
Each of us can seek out meaningful work, connecting to others in a way that gives us a reason to get up in the morning without drugs or alcohol.
When we reach out to feed our deepest need to be a part of a solution bigger than ourselves, we will find meaning and passion that is more fulfilling and effective than just taking up golf!
In a singular moment of class, grace, and eloquence, General Colin Powell gave Barack Obama the most important endorsement yet in this election cycle.
Just about every other famous person in America had weighed in on this contest already. And while newspaper endorsements run heavily on Barack's side (thank you Washington Post, L.A. Times, both Chicago newspapers, Denver Post, NY Daily News et al), they just don't carry much weight beyond the communities that read them.
Powell is a whole different matter. He had manifestly stayed on the sidelines, the ultimate undecided voter in this great land of ours, deeply admiring both Barack and John McCain for different reasons, and genuinely torn about whom to choose.
First and foremost, you have to understand that Colin Powell is a soldier. A chance to serve his country helped him rise from his humble origins in the Bronx to becoming a hero to all of us, especially in his term as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he helped forge the brilliant military strategy that won the First Gulf War in 1991.
Really, Powell was Barack Obama not so long ago. When his autobiography came out in 1995, a popular clamor erupted that he run for president. I have no doubt in my mind that, had he done so, Powell would have trounced Bill Clinton. But his wife, Alma, talked him out of it, maybe fearing the exact sort of racial tension Barack is facing right now.
He declared himself a Republican, hoping that his stature and open-minded ideas could be accepted in the GOP. He would soon find out otherwise, like when he spoke at the GOP convention in 2000 and derided opponents of affirmative action from the stage and got some boos for it.
Powell was, and is, a pioneer for all that he has accomplished, and when he was chosen by George W. Bush to be Secretary of State, it was supposed to be the culmination of his career of exemplary service to this country.
Instead, Powell became the forgotten man in a hungry administration chock full of Neocons all too eager to rush to war in Iraq after the 9/11 attacks. Worse yet, he made the public presentation claiming Saddam Hussein had WMDs in front of the United Nations Security Council. Since we found out later that it was all a big lie, Powell was vilified, tarnished, some on the left willing to erase everything else he had done because of this terrible mistake.
What they forgot, of course, was that Powell himself agonized about the war. As we found out later in Bob Woodward's books, Powell, who knew something about war others in Bush's administration did not, tried all he could to stop the downhill train. But he was outnumbered by Cheney, Rumsfeld and the Neocons, and ultimately had to accept the role he had eagerly embraced his whole life - that of the good soldier.
Not a day goes by, I'm sure, that Powell doesn't agonize about Iraq and the consequences of what he and others produced. Maybe that's why today, on "Meet the Press", when he emerged to say that he was supporting Barack Obama, he told a story to illustrate his point.
He spoke of a picture taken at Arlington National Cemetery, our nation's most hallowed ground, where a young soldier, just 20, had just been buried after being killed in action in Iraq. He had all the important information on his gravestone - the day he was born, the day he died, the service he rendered and the medals he won.
Above it all was not a Christian cross, or a Star of David, but a crescent moon. This fallen soldier was a Muslim, born and raised in New Jersey, who had served for - and died for - his country, the United States of America, just the same as millions of Christians and Jews and men of all other faiths had done.
How could any person tell this soldier's family that, because they worship Allah, they somehow are not American or that they're a danger to our country? Yet that is exactly what they say about Barack Obama, a Christian, for no other reason than the fact that he has a funny-sounding name and, well, he's African-American.
Better than just about any man in this country, Colin Powell has lived the American Dream, and understands exactly what it entails - the idea that any person, from any background, can make it in the United States. He has seen how great we can be, and he wants that for us again.
Of all the many reasons he gave today for supporting Barack, what stood out was his correct observation that Barack has electrified the young voters in this country and has the potential to inspire the world, too - in stark contrast to the relentless negativity of John McCain and his Republican allies, who seem more interested in stopping Barack by any means necessary than in helping this country.
We live in extraordinary times, and this is the most extraordinary election of our lives. And it is such a great blessing, and confirmation of the postiive movement for change we have built, that Colin Powell is supporting Barack Obama, giving our argument even more moral weight. Now we have 16 days to reward the good general's faith with a victory at the polls.
YES WE CAN!!
Although I am only a 16 year old from New York, I feel like I am very much a part of this process. Barack Obama, and the whole Obama campaign, has inspired me to become vigilant and to voice my opinions on progress and reform for our country.
Senator Obama's ideas on economic reform, energy dependence, and ending the war in Iraq show the colors of a true leader. While I greatly respect the service of Sen. McCain, Sen. Obama has shown that an Obama presidency will be more successful and more able to handle the looming threats and challenges of the 21st Century.
Lastly, I would like to thank the Obama campaign for keeping their supporters close to them and reaching out to those who normally vote Republican.
Thank You.
Together, we can win back not only the White House, but our status as the last hope for mankind
Our local news station keeps abreast of all the latest in the USA, however, they never report on the tremendous support Obama has with Americans overseas. They have moments showing their support most of us never learn about it. Well, Carole@ www.Americans-Away-From-Home.com has done a fantasic job of getting the support out for our candidate. In May 2008, they had a wonderful event on Bridges from London to France where they met up to show their support. They took a great photo:
http://www.americans-away-from-home.com/node/258
This is moment in history where we can truly say we recognize our opportunity to say "Yes WE Can!" has more power than simple words. It has meaning.
Support our candidate, Donate on My.barackObama.NW Georgia for Obama '08 today!
Marie
For those who wonder about the real significance of Senator Barack Obama's name:
Barack:
Hussein:
Obama:
All told, Senator Obama seems to be a living embodiment of the name his parents gave him: he has lived a blessed life and seeks to share his blessing; he is beautiful to behold and to listen to - people are drawn to him and inspired when they hear him speak and consider his ideas; and in public life he is flexible and dedicated to leaning where necessary to help uplift others.
I examined my own name and found that it accurately indicates some of my innate tendancies. Curiously enough, both my Luo name and my English name mean the same thing: thoroughness, purification and wonder/curiosity (among other things...) - who'd have thunk? How about you? Do you embody your name's meaning?
Sources: Wikipedia (baraka, baruch, hussein, obama)
Other sources: My mother; multicultural childhood & education including Luo and Kiswahili.
I have been busy, this campaign means a lot to me, even if I haven't worked on it as much as I would like to. But let me just say something on what this campaign means to me.
In the Campaign of 1960 one man asked college students around the United States if they would spend time in a foreign country helping out their country, and those countries. After elected president, JFK created the Peace Corps. He inspired the generation of my parents to get involved in politics in a way that Obama is inspiring me.
Barack Obama has stated that this campaign of his is supposed to be about our hopes and dreams. I realized, as his campaign started, that one of my dreams was to be a part of the Peace Corps. Started to inspire a generation, it was a politician who finally inspired me to join.
As a student of international relations I was told it was only a matter of time before I joined the Peace Corps, but thats not true. For years I wanted to do anything and everything but. I started thinking about it after being part of AmeriCorps, I even started the online application, never expecting to finish it. When Barack Obama spoke in front of the Illinois statehouse, starting his presidential election, and said: "Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more -- and it is time for our generation to answer that call." I knew that I had to go into the Peace Corps, so that I could gain the experience I needed to become what I needed to become.
So though I may not walk the streets of New Hampshire, or Iowa. Though I do not call my friends and make them donate. I feel that I am doing, not what I've been told to do, but what I've always wanted to do, but was too afraid to do, until Barack Obama inspired me.
So though I may not ask for signatures, and be part of phone banks, I live and breath the spirit Obama has put out into this great country of ours, and I will be proud to vote for him in primaries and into Presidency, no matter where I am in the world.
