Harold McCoy Returns to Montrose
Whole Life Network Release
The Whole Life Network
is honored to sponsor for the second year in a row an exploration of mind
phenomena with Harold McCoy, Founder and Director of the Ozark Research
Institute. Harold will be in Montrose
on March 31st and Aril 1st and 2nd 2006 to
teach his inspiring workshop, “Using The Mind To Heal The Body”.
Harold has established a
record of many incredible healings -- from tumors to diabetes to uterine
problems, all using the "Power of the Focused Mind". He is involved in a research study with the National
Institute of Health to determine the effects of remote healing on brain
tumors. Harold’s staff and volunteers
respond to over 300 requests for healing assistance each month. The mission of the Ozark Research Institute
is to teach as many people as possible the techniques that Harold uses to
accomplish healings.
A free introductory
lecture will be conducted for the public on Friday evening, March 31st at the
Cimarron Creek Golf Community Center, 901 65.30 Rd. in Montrose. The Friday lecture will begin at 7:00
pm. The workshop will be on the
following Saturday and Sunday, April 1st and 2nd at the
same location. The hours of the
workshop will be 10:00 am to 4:30 pm with a 1 and ½ hour lunch break. During this 2-day workshop, Harold will
share his theories on the connection between emotional distress and the
appearance of illnesses in the body, and that by clearing emotional issues we
can frequently bring about physical healing. He will teach the meditation and
visualization techniques he uses to aid others in their healing process. Students will learn how to locate the
energy/auric field and how to correct and energize any imbalances. Techniques for bringing prosperity to a
business or individual and connecting with one's higher source will also be
given.
To register for the
workshop please fill out the form on page 2.
Harold McCoy will be available on March 31st and April 3rd
for individual appointments. For more information contact: Larry Lemser 970
240-0234 or info@wholelifenet.org.
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Cultural Awareness Series –Learning About Other Paths
The Community for Spiritual Awareness Release
Next
month we are delighted to welcome to our community two nuns, Heng Liang Shr and
Heng Yin Shr, from City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, a monastery in Ukiah, California.
As disciples of the Venerable Master, Hsuan Hua, these nuns are
dedicated to disseminating the genuine teachings of the Buddha throughout the
world. They will be speaking on “A Buddhist
Approach to Life,” which includes discussion about karma, cause and effect, Bodhisattvas,
daily life at the monastery, and the practice and benefits of Buddhism. Plan
now to take advantage of this unique opportunity to meet these two dedicated
personalities at Meadowlark Court Community Room, 2378 Robins Way, on April 19th
at 7:00 pm. $5.00 donation at door. Call 252-0908 for more information.
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Waldorf Education
by Catherine Isabel
Waldorf
education is known all over the world.
Its founder, Rudolf Steiner, a wise and gentle human being, developed an
educational system, which would teach all children, including those being
challenged, and being slow learners.
Out of his dedication were born many Waldorf schools. The inate creativity of each child is
enhanced and deepened by specially trained Waldorf teachers.
Even
though Montrose and our surrounding communities are small, the desire exists by
many parents to bring quality Waldorf education here. An informational meeting is planned to find out whether it will
be feasible to start a private or charter Waldorf School for the children of
Montrose. Dedicated parents are needed
for this important project. Catherine
Isabel, Whole Life Network member, will be glad to discuss this plan by phone
before a general meeting will be called. She was a Waldorf student and taught a
several Waldorf schools and wants to discuss her experiences with interested
parents. Please call 249-8408.
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Celebrate International Women's Day
by Jill Burkey
I was raised by a mother
and father who made me believe I could do anything, and expected me to. Dad taught me how to change a tire, check my
oil, back a trailer, to be self-reliant, and to go to college and get a good
job afterwards. I never understood the
need for women-only groups, schools, or scholarships, and wondered if it was in
fact reverse discrimination against men.
What I didn't realize then, is that lots of girls are not raised
the way I was, and lots of women don't eat dinner every night with
husbands who encourage and expect or even want their wives to do great and
important work. That's why it's
important to celebrate women and their achievements and contributions, and
International Women's Day is the perfect opportunity.
"Until women are
fully represented at senior leadership levels of public, professional and
economic life, women do not have equal rights or an equal voice," says the
IWD's web page, www.internationalwomensday.com. I also think until objectification and marginalization of women
stops and it's possible to imagine a population willing to elect a woman
president that we have not completed the vision of the women before us who
paved our way.
The theme for this
year's IWD event on Wednesday, March 8th is "Inspiring
Potential." Events are scheduled
around the world, and a list can be found on the web site. I like the idea of inspiring potential
because I suspect many women aren't living up to theirs. Reasons are probably as varied as the women
who express them; time, obligations, fear, money, lack of support. We each need to find our true passion and
potential and let it sing. We can be so
much more than what we allow ourselves to be.
Jill Burkey is a
freelance writer & stay-at-home mother of 2 children. She has a B.S. in
English, Business, and Secondary Education from Nebraska Wesleyan University
& provides professional writing services through Word Wise, Ink. Contact
Jill at 255-7348 or at burkey@frontier.net.
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Remembering Aztlán
a Column of Poetry, Culture & Spirit by Art Goodtimes
NICARAGUA …
How easily we’ve forgotten the clandestine war we waged against the simple
peasant folk of the Cordillera Isabella ... Matagalpa. Jinotega. Estelí.
Ocotal. León. There was a time, not many years back, when those towns and
villages were familiar names across America. The Time of the Contras. The ones
Ronald Reagan hailed as “Freedom Fighters”. Back when black crews flew from an
airport in Mina, Arkansas, in an arms-for-drugs scandal that continued on under
Bush I’s regime … In Telluride, it was a small crowd that watched the
Nicaraguan photo testimony project of two devoted Quakers, Paul Dix and Pam
Fitzpatrick, at the Wilkinson Library last month. But it was the big picture
they brought to town -- a wrenching slide show look back and forward in time.
With Dix’s black&white photos of the civilian massacres and the terrorist
campaign of the U.S-trained (armed and sometimes led) armed gangs (aka Contras)
back in the late ‘80s. Gangs that still persist today on the Honduran border,
where the U.S. spooks & military once maintained four or five guerilla
training camps. The original photos had accompanied testimony that Witness for
Peace had once gathered from victims of the terrorist attacks in the mountains.
And over the last three years Dix and Fitzpatrick had gone back to Nicaragua to
update the testimony they’d taken from the 20 victims a decade or more
previously … I can’t think of a better way to underscore why America is now,
itself, the target of terrorist attacks. For the last 100 years we have been
waging terrorist campaigns all around the globe. Most on behalf of dictators,
generals and shahs … As the great Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt is reported to
have said about Nicaraguan strongman Somoza, “He may be a sonuvabitch, but he’s
our sonuvabitch.” … Sandino was the leader of the insurrection that pushed the
U.S. Marines out of Nicaragua back in the ‘30s, after whom the revolutionary
movement of the ‘80s were formed. The Sandinistas captured Managua from the
Somoza’s feared National Guard and forming a government that included a
Ministry of Culture where the poets Ernesto Cardenal and Daisy Zamora served …
Terror. We exported it for generations in the barrios and hill country of
Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama. And in Nicaragua, where our agents
perfected the art of hitting civilian targets, killing teachers and health care
workers, spreading panic and fear in the countryside … Is it any wonder that Al
Qaeda now employs the same tactics against us?
PANDEMIC DRUGS 101 …
Did you know that the only treatment shown to be effective at diminishing the
symptoms of avian bird flu (Influenza A) and Influenza B is Tamiflu, which the
Swiss pharmaceutical multinational Roche manufactures from shikimic acid, and
which is produced from star anise?… Some of my friends have started integrating
Chinese star anise (Illicium verum) into their diets, as a preventative
against a flu pandemic. But a couple years ago the FDA issued this bulletin: …
“FDA is concerned that commonly available Chinese star anise, a product
considered by FDA to be generally recognized as safe, may contain Japanese star
anise (Illicium anisatum), which has long been recognized as toxic in
many countries and which should be used for decorative purposes only. At this
time, FDA cannot determine if the star anise associated with the illnesses was
associated with Japanese star anise or a mixture of Chinese and Japanese star
anise. Japanese star anise in its dried or processed form cannot be
distinguished from Chinese star anise through visual examination. Therefore,
FDA is evaluating chemical analytical methods that will differentiate between
the two species of star anise. Until FDA is able to differentiate between
Japanese and Chinese star anise, it is advising the public not to consume tea
brewed from any star anise. As part of its ongoing efforts to protect consumers
from unsafe products, FDA will monitor imports of star anise entering the
United States from various countries to ensure that any imports of Japanese
star anise are not labeled or otherwise indicated for use as a food” … So, I
looked up shikimic acid in my Wikipedia: … Shikimic acid, more commonly known
as its anionic form shikimate, is an important biochemical intermediate
in plants and microorganisms. Its name comes from the Japanese flower shikimi
(Illicium. anisatum) from which it was first isolated and from which it
is commercially produced today. Shikimic acid is present in most autotrophic
organisms … That is, organisms that produce organic compounds from carbon
dioxide as a source, either from light or from the interactions of inorganic
chemical compounds – as opposed to a phototroph,
i.e., plants that carry out photosynthesis, or a chemotroph, bacteria
that utilize the oxidation of inorganic compounds [see also heterotrophs]
... But the isolation yield of skikimic acid is low in most autotrophic
organisms. In star anise, the isolation yield is high ... Shikimic acid is a
precursor for the aromatic amino acids. One of them, the amino
acid-with-a-phenyl-hitchhiker phenylalanine, appears as white powder on
lab glass. L-Phenylalanine is one of 20 amino acids in the body -- coded
by DNA -- that form proteins biochemically. A form of phenylalanine appears in
the American Pharmacopoeia as a prescription dietary supplement. The sweetener aspartame,
found in supermarket sodas and chewing gum contains phenylalanine. Too much
aspartame/phenylalanine in the body acts as a neurotoxin … As Andy Weil used to
always tell us at the Telluride Mushroom Festival, dose can be the difference
between poison and pleasure … Diets high in apartame can lead to extreme
emotional or behavioral deviance (aka hyperactivity in kids, paranoia in
adults) … Phenylalanine uses the same active transport channel as tryptophan to
cross the blood-brain barrier. In large quantities, phenylalanine “interferes
with the production of serotonin” … Tryptophan, another byproduct of
shikimic acid, is also an essential amino acid, like phenylalanine. Tryptophan
is best known for producing the monoamine neurotransmitter serotonin (a
tryptamine like melanin). It’s levels of serotonin in the brain that are
thought to be affected by the ingestion of entheogenic plant and chemical
allies.
WEEKLY QUOTA…
Here's what the U.S. Senate had to say about the question of this nation being
founded on Christianity back in 1797: From the administration of John Adams,
the Treaty of Peace and Friendship with Tripoli, ratified by the Senate in 1797
… “ARTICLE 11. As the government of the United States of America is not in any
sense founded on the Christian Religion, as it has in itself no character of
enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen, and as the said
States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any
Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious
opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the
two countries.” … Would that it were true today!
WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW …
With the annual Rainbow Healing Gathering of Peace & Light coming to
Colorado this year, I was delighted to get an advance copy of Melitta
Tchaicovsky’s video documentary on the 2004 Rainbow Gathering in Modoc County,
California … Like Benazzo and Day’s picaresque Shortcut to Nirvana, Warriors
of the Rainbow is a charming travelogue slice of an event too big to
capture, but too important to ignore … For 33 years Rainbows have been holding
non-commercial gatherings every 4th of July -- our American holy day
-- in national forest lands around the country. Drawing thousands of people
together to pray for world peace and to experience living in a cooperative gift
economy , if only for a week. The main rules (beyond no hurtful activities)
-- no alcohol and no mechanized tools
or vehicles in the encampment (A-Camp is in the parking lot, usually miles from
the gathering itself) … We experience the festive – dancing people, weddings
and pickup jams -- and the solemn – 10,000 people holding hands in silence on
the 4th of July morning. There are interviews with Rez Menelek, Ram
Dass and other Rainbow Warriors – explaining, interpreting, envisioning what
this peaceful assemblage of a small city in the woods means -- where there are
no fees, food and drink are free, and the evenings are spent in yoga,
conversation, dancing and drumming … The film is lively. Imagine Haight Street
in the Sierras. And informative. You are told of controversies and traditions –
the following that has grown up around this annual event … Tchaicovsky was born in Brasil, and got her
MFA from the University of Rio de Janeiro. She worked for Swedish TV, and did
documentaries for Cable 31 in California. She collaborated with Pepe Ozan to
film and produce the award-winning documentary Ganga Ma: A Pilgrimage to the
Source … Warriors of the Rainbow is entirely her own work, and she
takes you right into the swirling crowds and colorful pageants. You can’t help
sense the excitement and power of such a large gathering of people -- the
Hippie Era resurrected for a week each year. See for yourself what Colorado can
expect this summer. Available by email at www.artnetwork.com
© 2004 Art Goodtimes
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Rock Soup - Farm Fresh Food
by Dea Jacobson
One of the things I
appreciated most when I moved from East Coast suburbia to the North Fork Valley
was the opportunity to go to a farm for food. I regularly bought whole milk,
eggs, fruits and vegetables in season and whatever I didn’t grow in my own garden
at one of the many small farms in the valley or on a nearby mesa. I even made
my own butter and yogurt. Living on a small orchard, we traded apples for
cherries and other produce. When I left the valley, I got homesick for fresh
food, and eventually joined a community garden in Grand Junction and found a
lot of local “foodies” like me to share the bounty of a friend’s half acre
backyard.
Struggling to survive,
these days small farmers are working on new strategies for serving their local
markets with traditional and new products raised right here in our own “food
shed”. So, I was excited to hear on KVNF public radio, that a workshop will be
held in Delta by the Southwest Marketing Network to explore new ways a farmer
can set up a marketing system to get his produce from the ground to local
retail markets like schools, hospitals, senior centers, or just the average
consumer. The workshop, sponsored by VOGA, the Valley Organic Growers’
Association, will go on all day at the Delta Chamber of Commerce building on
Thursday, March 30th. Workshop facilitator will be Brent Warner,
Minister of Agriculture of Vancouver, Canada, and an expert in the
farm-direct-to-consumer network concept. Cost is just $25. This workshop will
be a spin-off from the Southwest Marketing Conference that will run from March
27th to the 31st in Grand Junction at the Double Tree
Hotel. For more information on the Delta workshop, contact Pat Frazier at
261-1724. For information on the conference at the Double Tree, call Thomas
Cameron in Palisade at 261-4973. Spread the word! Local foods are healthier, and don’t use lots of fossil fuels to
get from the ground to the table. Our money stays home, and farmers don’t need
to sell off their lands to survive. I
plan on attending the Delta gathering and support this vital part of our local
economy.
Now I want to move into
the food portion of this month’s offering. All winter, I have enjoyed fresh
parsley from my greenhouse, and encourage those of you who have room for a
potted plant consider growing yourself some in a sunny spot in your kitchen.
More than just a garnish, I use parsley in soups and veggie stir fries, as well
as a salad green. Two sprigs of parsley have 10 IUs of vitamin A. Parsley has
three times more vitamin C as oranges, twice the iron of spinach, and is a good
source of copper and manganese. Curly parsley has a milder flavor, and keeps
better, once cut. Parsley is the number one selling herb in the country adds
freshness to many late winter dishes.
One way I use parsley is
in white clam sauce, which, when combined with fresh or dried basil, and cooked
in olive oil with clam juice, clams and garlic, makes a marvelous pasta dinner.
Remember not to cook herbs too long, as they will become bitter.
Spaghetti
and Clam Sauce
Boil a large pot of
water for the spaghetti, and cook while preparing the clam sauce.
3 small cans of chopped
clams
4 large cloves garlic,
halved
½ cup fresh basil,
chopped, or one tablespoon dried basil
1 cup fresh chopped
parsley, loosely packed
½ cup olive oil
Salt and fresh ground
pepper to taste
While spaghetti is
cooking, heat oil and fry garlic halves, pressing out the juice, Remove from
pan. Let oil cool a bit, and then add the drained juice from the 3 cans of
clams. Heat the juice to simmer and add the basil and parsley. Simmer about 10 minutes, reducing the liquid
by about half. Add the clams and heat again. Season with salt and pepper. Drain
the pasta and toss the pasta with the clam sauce. Serve hot with fresh grated parmesan
and lots of crusty bread. Enjoy!
Dea Jacobson is the
owner of Blue Heron Yoga and Fitness. She is a member of Yoga Alliance and
teaches throughout Mesa and Delta counties. She shares an earthship with her
husband, Roy Martin, north of Cedaredge, CO. and can be reached at
www.blueheronyoga.com, at Box 95, in Cedaredge, CO, or at 970 856-4905.
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The Ancient Lore on Stones
by Susan Palmer
Tiger’s Eye
Tiger’s eye is not
considered even a semiprecious stone on the chart of “valuables” in the gem world. But it is one of the most
fascinating to the human eye. It is a golden chatoyant chalcedony often found
in an asbestos rock base. Chatoyant means that it shifts color as it is moved
in the light. The growth structure of the amphibole fibers is vividly linear
and directional. When blue-grey, it is called falcon’s eye. Cat’s eye is
grey-green. These stones clarify thought and insights. Not much ancient lore is
assigned to these stones, and perhaps because they weren’t ever polished to
reveal their magic, or they seemed strange or too brittle to be useful. In any
case, the lore we have for tiger eye is mostly recent and “channeled”. This
stone increases psychic powers and draws to the user all the events, actions,
and material things necessary for spiritual growth. It should be worn on the right arm, set in a wide silver
bracelet.
There is something very
electrical about tiger eye when we explore it with the groking process. Electrical and directional, stimulating
inner life forces, repairing brain synapses.
You can experiment with this yourself to see if tiger eye is helpful to
you. Just sit quietly, and listen to
the stone as you hold it in your left hand.
I will give a two hour
workshop on exploring the healing qualities of Anything you can hold in your
hands. Call for reservations at 240-3605. The workshop will be held on Sunday,
March 12 at 2 pm. for a fee of $5 per person. Be sure to bring a notebook.
Susan Palmer is a new
resident of Montrose, most recently from Oregon. Previously she has lived in
Colorado Springs and on Maui. She is the author of several volumes of poetry
and a research text The Gemstone Healing Amulet, Making One That Works For You.
She offers private and public sessions for groking stones. 240-3605.
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Peaceful Contributions for the Soul
by Kathy Gates
Here are a few thoughts
I wanted to share with you. Do I dare go out of the box of the world full of
limits, then turn back around and go inside of me?
Seems sometimes life is
moving at such a rapid pace, can I keep up, am I going to drench myself in its
conditions, letting it grab my attention, drawing upon my thoughts deciding to
react without my approval? Will I let the conditions decide for me negative or
positive? I do have a choice that is a certain.
Ok, now for a deep and
sacred breath in through my nose, not just any old air, but sacred healing air
I release it with a great big ahhh. Now I breathe the sacred breath out. My
inner voice says Thank you Most High for my ability to choose for myself.
This is my perfect
chance to turn back around going inward to my Highest Self. Where I can sort
things out, feel how I feel, then quiet down. When I end the Absolute begins.
Now I can breathe quietly, in peace, filled with love, beauty, and joy. As I
rest in the Absolute Pure Spirit I am an open channel. A channel for the
Almighty One to move through. Divine guidance takes over and I am lead
perfectly, to react intelligently with beauty and grace. I am now able to walk
out into the box of unlimited life moving freely without negative conditions. I
am clear about my own thoughts, and they are positive and peaceful.
I carry this High Vision
with me wherever I go, and I see It in everyone I meet. I see this Divine
Beauty everywhere I am. I am aware of It's Presence. And whenever I feel
unaware of Its Presents I just ask for It to return quickly, with great intent.
By getting in touch,
whether in my car driving (this is a good time) eyes open of course, or by
stopping whatever I'm doing for a moment or two, to get in touch. All it takes
is a simple deep Sacred Breathe in and a Divine Breathe out , I'm back on track
with my Higher Self. One who knows my challenges and how to manage my life much
better than me. Then I just listen and fallow through with the perfect
guidance.
By keeping a daily
meditation practice, getting in touch with the Almighty One we can be still and
know we are a divine part of an Ultra Divine Plan. There are heavenly angels
clearing the way for our Highest Good every day. So I can relax and enjoy being
right where I am, being me. A sense of freedom feeds my soul. I am a divine
expression of Life, living in a pure and Absolute Divine Universal Plan. I can
walk with nature, and let my faith in Life be the greatest part of me.
Great Spirit is always
with me, and will always see me through. So I'll put my trust in God and truth
for my strength, and vitality, and that, which makes all things possible.
Peace and Blessings Kathy
Feel free to check out
our website at www.womensspiritretreats.com for updates on workshops and
information about our retreat center.
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Vision Health
© Anne Calzada Herbalist
It's all in the eye of
the beholder. Your eyes are constantly taking in the seen and the unseen.
Eyestrain is a common problem for many. We have all experienced eye maladies at
some point. Television, poor lighting and the biggest culprit, the computer,
all take their toll on the eyes. There are several things that you can do for
your eyes. When they are strained or tired, try taking a break, close your eyes
and cup your hands over them for a few minutes or simply close them. This will
help to soothe the strain. You can also perform eye stretches by turning them
in each direction, up and down and holding for a few seconds. Tea bags have
been a good remedy to soothe eyestrain when in need. Any kind will do, moisten
the teabag, close your eyes and apply on top of your eyes. The tannins in the
tea are astringent and helpful to soothe. Flax seed or lavender eye pillows are
generally available in your favorite health food store. They can be made out of
silk cloth and feel so lovely on your eyes after a stressful day. Sometimes it
is nice to put them in the refrigerator or freezer to cool them. Eyes are
susceptible to viral and bacterial infections, so try not to rub them or put
your fingers in them. As always wash your hands frequently. Be aware that
cosmetics such as mascara can contribute to eye discomfort. Nicotine, alcohol,
pharmaceutical drugs, street drugs and sugar may also diminish vision.
Be sure and have your
eyes checked regularly to make sure that you vision has not changed or make
needed adjustments if it has. Vanity is totally not worth your vision; so if
you need glasses or contacts, don't hesitate to get them.
Nutritionally speaking
there are vitamins and minerals that the eyes require for good health. The most
obvious is vitamin A. This vitamin is mandatory for visual pigmentation and
protection against free radical damage. Vitamin C and vitamin E both support
vascular integrity as well, therefore helping to reduce intraocular pressure
and proper circulation. Carotenoids are the precursors to vitamin A and are
antioxidant in nature. Common carotenoids are beta-carotene, alpha-carotene,
lutein, zaexanthin and lycopene.They are also responsible for the pigmentation
present in fruits and vegetables.
Specific foods for the
eyes are beets, carrots, greens, squash, pumpkin, yams, apricots, blueberries,
raspberries, cranberries, bilberries, elderberries and organic liver. Herbs
such as ginkgo and hawthorn are good choices for eye health as they improve
circulation and oxygenation needed to the capillaries in your eyes. Eyebright
and bilberry are excellent choices for ocular health, available in supplement
form. Calendula, chamomile or raspberry are helpful to use as an eyewash as
they are anti-inflammatory and astringent. Be sure to strain the herbs from the
tea, as you don not want them in your eyes!
Eyebright in its
homeopathic form euphrasia, alleviates itching, irritation and inflammation.
Flax or hemp seed oil are beneficial for balancing the moisture content in the
body, therefore helpful for dry, dehydrated eyes. Water intake is essential.
In Chinese medicine, the
liver governs the health of the eyes. Be sure to nourish your liver and cleanse
when necessary. Reflexology states that the tips of your fingers and toes
reflex to the eyes. Gently pinch and massage these areas for relief. Massage
the temples and pinch between the brows. Try to take the shades off and get an
adequate amount of sunlight in your eyes everyday. Realize the beauty of your
own life; do you like what you see? If not create something in your life that
you would like to look at!
Anne Calzada is a
Certified Herbalist and founder of Healing Heart Herbs. Her products can be
found at Food For Thought in Ridgway and at other fine natural health outlets.
For consultations or classes she may be reached at 626-5663 or by email
annecalzada@aol.com.
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Who Is In Charge?
by Dr. Jerry Overton
I just did my Federal
income taxes—spent much of the weekend on them. It’s a chore that all Americans
are expected to do—with honesty and accountability. And when I consider all the
good things that our government might do with my money, to educate our
children, provide affordable healthcare, promote peace throughout the world,
and insure that every one of us can pursue happiness, I find myself being proud
to live in this country—and full of that perennial hope that this year
it just might happen!
That said, I’m finding
it to be more and more of a challenge to get myself up to do them—especially
given how our government chooses to spend my hard-earned dollars. Last night,
CBS news revealed that billions of our tax dollars were simply missing—billions—missing!
I find that enraging! And, I’m finding my perennial hope fading fast! How does
our government just lose billions of dollars? It’s bad enough that they waste
billions—but to just lose it is all but insane—and unforgivable!
If you or I turned in
our tax returns with a note attached that said we had “lost” our income records
and therefore weren’t paying any taxes, I’ll bet they would find them pretty
fast. Or else, they’d find us and we’d be in jail before we could blink!
So, the big and obvious
question is just who is in charge? And if we were to actually find that
person, what would be our recourse? Oh, I’m sure we’d have an “investigation”
that would drag on for years and spend even more of our billions making certain
attorneys even richer, but with no real results. And then, we’d do what we do
most often, say “ain’t awful”, as we continue to actually expect and tolerate
such ludicrous theft of our money. And bear in mind, they’re not just stealing
our money, they’re stealing all the good that could be done with it.
That same CBS newscast
also had a story of a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars let to a company
to perform some “protective” services for the Iraq war. Turned out this
particular company was a sham, with no experience to do the work, and with
several fake companies set up in the Cayman Islands just to handle the money.
Such irresponsibility makes
me both angry that I’m forced to pay into such schemes with my taxes, and
ashamed because of what we could be doing to address the pain and
suffering all over the world with those lost and misused billions! I sometimes
wonder how much more we will take before we act—before we demand
accountability—the same kind of accountability they require of us when we file
our taxes—either honesty or hard jail time!
Am I being unreasonable
here? I think not—at least no more so than they are to expect me to pay my taxes
in an honest and accountable way. Now that does seem unreasonable, given
how they will spend, or lose, my money after I send it in!
So….have you done your
taxes yet? And does it make you proud?
Copyright 2006. Jerry D.
Overton
Jerry is a Coach who
loves to help people live the life they want. He can be reached at
jerry@jerryoverton.com or at 970-252-9311, and he would delight in hearing from
you!
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