I TOLD YOU SO! (I have been writing @ The Other Shoe for 2 years) I felt this in my bones, I saw it in the division that has spread across our great land like a plague. THIS ‘New’ Republican party is NOT the one of ; Lincoln, Roosevelt, Nixon, Reagan or Dole. At least so says Senator Bob Dole (retired):
"Bob Dole no longer recognizes the Republican Party that he helped lead for years. Speaking over the weekend on “Fox News Sunday,” he said his party should hang a “closed for repairs” sign on its doors until it comes up with a few positive ideas, because neither he nor Ronald Reagan would now feel comfortable in its membership. "[1]
.
This is what I have been writing about here at Facebook and @ The Other Shoe. This Republican party is so radicalized and strained so far right that Republican LEADERS (of the past thrity years) do not recognize the party.
How do you know when you have gone too far? Now we KNOW.
.
"“It seems to be almost unreal that we can’t get together on a budget or legislation,” said Mr. Dole, the former Senate majority leader and presidential candidate. “I mean, we weren’t perfect by a long shot, but at least we got our work done.” [2]
.
Ask ANY of my Facebook friends (and some of my BEST friends here are Republicans) and they will tell you without hesitation; “Yes, Danny Hanning regularly posts about his perceived shortcoming of the Republican party…”. No doubt many of my Facebook friends have blocked my posts and status updates for saying EXACTLY what Bob Dole had the courage and conviction of his beliefs to say on Fox. Now the cat is out of the bag, the truth spoken by one of their own standard bearers.
.
Alas, I will not yet rest. I will continue to write, talk, and post about the sickness within this party. I will do my level best to post the direction that could be, the path not taken. For me, at least, this is a turning point. There is now hope for the future of this Grand Party. Now, I will wait and see. Will those who chastised me for speaking this before Senator Dole did, will they embrace the cold hard reality of the party they love? Will they be a part of change, or will they just dig their heals in and stick to their guns?
Thank you!
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Oklahoma Needs Our Help - America Needs YOUR Help
There are a handful of things that I learned, that I still use daily, working in emergent care @ Long Beach Memorial Hospital. The single most important, and one that has stuck with me every since is the need for blood. Natural disasters always strain our nation’s limited blood supply. Did you know that since the 80’s (the discovery of AIDs contributed to this problem) the number of Americans that give blood has decreased regularly?
.
““Donations are down more than 10 percent across the country,” said Stephanie Millian, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, told ABCNews.com. “We have almost half the amount of available blood on the shelves compared to last year.”[1]
.
Just this time last year America hit a level of blood shortage that was nothing less than historic.
.
“The American Red Cross today reported dangerously low levels of blood and platelet supplies, with 50,000 fewer blood donations than expected for the month of June. The Red Cross calls upon all those who are eligible to give blood to visit Red Cross or other collection centers to donate”[2]
.
My Dear Readers I apologize but I am going to impose on you a task, a journey. The ultimate goal of this task/journey will bring you great happiness and a feeling of community and togetherness I have seldom found in this life. The first task? I want you to look up a Red Cross Donation Center near where you are, right now. I will help and make it easy, follow this link:
.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="334"]
Step One to Giving Blood & One Pint of Blood Savesa Three Lives.[/caption]
.
Enter your zip code and this site will display donation locations nearest you. Now; either write down this address or send it to your iPhone or Andriod via text message, print out the page with address/location information, or take a picture of the screen with your cell phone. Now, you are ready to go.
.
Next, take a moment to view this video and read a little information about the whole process of donation (this only applies if you are a virgin [hehehe] to giving blood, veterans… why are you still reading and not driving?). Here is a link to get you started on preparation:
.
.
.
.
That was a nice fun video. Now you are prepared, get to the donation center and help Save Three Lives!
.
Now, for all of us (that for medical or other reasons cannot donate blood) I have an alternative. GIVE! There used to be a saying, on television, when I was a child. “Give freely and give often!” I cannot think of a better cause to exercise that frame of mind. Blood supplies in our great nation are embarrassing low. Out of all the industrialized nations America has the lowest emergent supply of human blood. One day, all too soon, the will be a Katrina or Oklahoma City and… we will listen to the news that night and hear these words; “For the first time in our nation’s history more Americans died, today, because of a lack of blood than from the ________ disaster. This is a dark day in American history.”
.
I hope that day does not happen in our lifetimes, My Dear Readers. Let’s do our best to make sure it doesn’t. Therefore, if you simply cannot give blood. I want you to right now follow this (security assured) link to the Red Cross and GIVE! Give a dollar, give five, and just give.
.
.
“Thank you!”
That came from the bottom of my heart, and the depths of my soul. Blood is life, people. You really have no idea… the importance… of a single act, of giving. I got ‘hooked’ here in Southern California. While working @ Long Beach Memorial Hospital (pictured below) I was made aware of the real, but hidden and unspoken, crisis America faces. And, from what I read in the news, it just seems to get worse and worse. We don’t give blood the way we used to, we Americans. My Dear Readers? I am recruiting YOU to help change that failing of our people.
.
[caption id="attachment_714" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Long Beach memorial Hospital and Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach California.[/caption]
.
I charge you, not just open your mind to this problem. Open another person’s mid to this failing. Share, and share and share again. Only through this kind of action can we hope to alter this terrible shortage. Thank you. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your heart. Thank you for your mind. Thank you.
.
.
.
““Donations are down more than 10 percent across the country,” said Stephanie Millian, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, told ABCNews.com. “We have almost half the amount of available blood on the shelves compared to last year.”[1]
.
Just this time last year America hit a level of blood shortage that was nothing less than historic.
.
“The American Red Cross today reported dangerously low levels of blood and platelet supplies, with 50,000 fewer blood donations than expected for the month of June. The Red Cross calls upon all those who are eligible to give blood to visit Red Cross or other collection centers to donate”[2]
.
My Dear Readers I apologize but I am going to impose on you a task, a journey. The ultimate goal of this task/journey will bring you great happiness and a feeling of community and togetherness I have seldom found in this life. The first task? I want you to look up a Red Cross Donation Center near where you are, right now. I will help and make it easy, follow this link:
.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="334"]
Step One to Giving Blood & One Pint of Blood Savesa Three Lives.[/caption].
Enter your zip code and this site will display donation locations nearest you. Now; either write down this address or send it to your iPhone or Andriod via text message, print out the page with address/location information, or take a picture of the screen with your cell phone. Now, you are ready to go.
.
Next, take a moment to view this video and read a little information about the whole process of donation (this only applies if you are a virgin [hehehe] to giving blood, veterans… why are you still reading and not driving?). Here is a link to get you started on preparation:
.
.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SKvcwYpLesI]
.
.
That was a nice fun video. Now you are prepared, get to the donation center and help Save Three Lives!
.
Now, for all of us (that for medical or other reasons cannot donate blood) I have an alternative. GIVE! There used to be a saying, on television, when I was a child. “Give freely and give often!” I cannot think of a better cause to exercise that frame of mind. Blood supplies in our great nation are embarrassing low. Out of all the industrialized nations America has the lowest emergent supply of human blood. One day, all too soon, the will be a Katrina or Oklahoma City and… we will listen to the news that night and hear these words; “For the first time in our nation’s history more Americans died, today, because of a lack of blood than from the ________ disaster. This is a dark day in American history.”
.
I hope that day does not happen in our lifetimes, My Dear Readers. Let’s do our best to make sure it doesn’t. Therefore, if you simply cannot give blood. I want you to right now follow this (security assured) link to the Red Cross and GIVE! Give a dollar, give five, and just give.
.
.
“Thank you!”
That came from the bottom of my heart, and the depths of my soul. Blood is life, people. You really have no idea… the importance… of a single act, of giving. I got ‘hooked’ here in Southern California. While working @ Long Beach Memorial Hospital (pictured below) I was made aware of the real, but hidden and unspoken, crisis America faces. And, from what I read in the news, it just seems to get worse and worse. We don’t give blood the way we used to, we Americans. My Dear Readers? I am recruiting YOU to help change that failing of our people.
.
[caption id="attachment_714" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Long Beach memorial Hospital and Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach California.[/caption].
I charge you, not just open your mind to this problem. Open another person’s mid to this failing. Share, and share and share again. Only through this kind of action can we hope to alter this terrible shortage. Thank you. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your heart. Thank you for your mind. Thank you.
.
.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Starving the Poor
This hits very close to home... my home.
"…the House version of the farm bill making would throw nearly 2 million people off food stamps, most of whom are working families with children or senior citizens. More than 200,000 kids would lose access to free school lunches, according to the group." (NBC News see link below)
.
Is there some lack of proper education on the part of Republicans? The market(s) crashed in 2008. Since then the Food Stamp roles have more than doubled. Is that a surprise to anyone? Poverty increases in time of economic collapse. Nobody is surprised, looking back at The Great Depression, that there were bread lines in every major city in America.
.
We have, as a society and a people, moved passed making families with children stand in bread lines. Who is it, exactly, that wants to take the United States back to bread lines and poor houses? Social progress undone is evil winning and immorality replacing Christianity. Not since The Great Depression has hunger swept across America the way it is now. And this number will only grow if Food Stamp benefits are cut.
.
America has fought hunger and poverty for the past three generations. Republican Presidents; Eisenhower, Nixon, and Regan all supported programs to feed the poor, the disabled, the elderly and vets. Literally every President since F.D.R. has supported feeding the hungry from the Federal level. It is a NATIONAL responsibility. When, again, did this change? When did this fundamental tenant of our society get overruled? Who is it that made this decision that the poor need go hungry when our debt is SHRINKING?
.
Now two million Americans (including working poor families, they ARE WORKING FAMILIES) will be hungry? Just as a filter for this eventuality (if you do not act) 70% or Seven out of Ten Wal-Mart workers (that ring you up and help you in the store) will be without daily sustenance. Three out of ten college students will be without a proper diet. Why?
.
Now there are some that will say “What about the food banks and churches? Shouldn’t they carry the load? Won’t they help?” I will let a representative with the Food Research and Action Center (A Food bank monitoring group) answer that question:
“James Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center, is working with food banks and organizations that focus on hunger issues to lobby Congress against slashing food stamp spending. For them, it is not a matter of politics or theories on the role of government, but a matter of getting people the assistance they need.
“People in the field know how much harm these cuts can cause,” said Weill. “Those who actually work with low-income Americans around the country know they can’t provide a sufficient amount of people with the help they need if these cuts take place.”
.
So the short, and correct, answer is “No!” America’s churches and food banks are already stretched beyond capacity. Our social welfare safety net is in tatters, and the churches cannot assist further. No, this IS the responsibility of our Federal Government. So says President Dwight D. Eisenhower:
.
President Richard M. Nixon had this to say about hunger in America:
“That hunger and malnutrition should persist in a land such as ours is embarrassing and intolerable.”[2]
Now for President Kennedy on hunger:
“"The war against hunger is truly mankind's war of liberation."[3] And ““There is only one rule by which to judge if God is near us or is far away – the rule that God's word is giving us today: everyone concerned for the hungry, the naked, the poor, for those who have vanished in police custody, for the tortured, for prisoners, for all flesh that suffers, has God close at hand. We have the ability, we have the means, and we have the capacity to eliminate hunger from the face of the earth. We need only the will."[4]
Now for President Carter:
"We know that a peaceful world cannot long exist, one-third rich and two-thirds hungry."[5]
Now for President Clinton he acted on hunger: ‘Mickey Leland Childhood Hunger Relief Act of 1993’[6]
.
President George W. Bush on hunger in America:
"I also acted on this timeless belief, to whom much is given, much is required. We have been given a lot in our country. And it's not only in our strategic interests that we deal with hunger and disease, it is in our moral interest that we do so, as well. In the Western Hemisphere, we expanded trade and helped our fellow democracies deliver prosperity and social justice to their people. And around the world, we built a coalition of more than 90 nations to fight terror and advance the cause of freedom in the great ideological struggle of our time. In short, we've made our alliances stronger, we've made our nation safer, and we have made the world freer."
.
President Obama has acted in the war against hunger, much like President Bill Clinton did with : ‘President Obama Signs Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 Into Law’[7]
.
Well, if you have read this far I have captured your attention, and maybe your heart. Right now you might be asking yourself “Yes, Danny, but what can I DO?!” If you are, KUDOS! What you can do to help FIRST? Look around your circle of friends. Be they are work, at church, in your neighborhood or your old friends found-again on Facebook. Reach out and offer help. Believe me when I tell you that right now all around you are people; good honest hard working people, genuinely hungry people that you can easily reach out and help.
.
Contrary to some ill-willed rhetoric not all poor people are drug addicts or alcoholics. There are good and honest people that would love to work, but their disabilities make it impossible to work, or are incapable of living/working without a caregiver. Reach out and help. Put some food in a box and mail it, leave it at a door or take it to a food bank. Get involved in a local church or business group’s support of food banks.
.
Lastly? :Let your voice be heard. Call or write your Congressman and Senators. (I have posted the phone information below) Need to find out WHO to write or call? Go here: Find Your Representative
.
HERE is the number to get a hold of your Senator: United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121
HERE is the number to get a hold of your Congressman: To call your Member of Congress: US Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121
that was the same number... I am going to leave that there... see if anyone... ;)
.
Taking food from the already hungry is just wrong. Today is SUNDAY, the Day of Sabbath. Will you make a pledge to help protect food for the poor and hungry?
Will YOU call your Congressman and Senator? Will YOU reach out to someone you know is hungry or going without food? This level of hunger (One in SIX Americans depend on Food Stamps for all or part of their diet) demands Federal and grassroots action. It requires something from everybody. I stepped up to the plate and have spent four hours over two days preparing this article. I posted that I would be taking a break, but this issue would not let me rest. How about you, My Dear Readers?
Thank you for your time, your consideration and your efforts.
This article was inspired by the article linked below.
.
http://inplainsight.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/19/18307642-ax-hovers-over-food-stamp-program-as-costs-grow?lite
.
"…the House version of the farm bill making would throw nearly 2 million people off food stamps, most of whom are working families with children or senior citizens. More than 200,000 kids would lose access to free school lunches, according to the group." (NBC News see link below)
.
Is there some lack of proper education on the part of Republicans? The market(s) crashed in 2008. Since then the Food Stamp roles have more than doubled. Is that a surprise to anyone? Poverty increases in time of economic collapse. Nobody is surprised, looking back at The Great Depression, that there were bread lines in every major city in America.
.
We have, as a society and a people, moved passed making families with children stand in bread lines. Who is it, exactly, that wants to take the United States back to bread lines and poor houses? Social progress undone is evil winning and immorality replacing Christianity. Not since The Great Depression has hunger swept across America the way it is now. And this number will only grow if Food Stamp benefits are cut.
.
America has fought hunger and poverty for the past three generations. Republican Presidents; Eisenhower, Nixon, and Regan all supported programs to feed the poor, the disabled, the elderly and vets. Literally every President since F.D.R. has supported feeding the hungry from the Federal level. It is a NATIONAL responsibility. When, again, did this change? When did this fundamental tenant of our society get overruled? Who is it that made this decision that the poor need go hungry when our debt is SHRINKING?
.
Now two million Americans (including working poor families, they ARE WORKING FAMILIES) will be hungry? Just as a filter for this eventuality (if you do not act) 70% or Seven out of Ten Wal-Mart workers (that ring you up and help you in the store) will be without daily sustenance. Three out of ten college students will be without a proper diet. Why?
.
Now there are some that will say “What about the food banks and churches? Shouldn’t they carry the load? Won’t they help?” I will let a representative with the Food Research and Action Center (A Food bank monitoring group) answer that question:
“James Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center, is working with food banks and organizations that focus on hunger issues to lobby Congress against slashing food stamp spending. For them, it is not a matter of politics or theories on the role of government, but a matter of getting people the assistance they need.
“People in the field know how much harm these cuts can cause,” said Weill. “Those who actually work with low-income Americans around the country know they can’t provide a sufficient amount of people with the help they need if these cuts take place.”
.
So the short, and correct, answer is “No!” America’s churches and food banks are already stretched beyond capacity. Our social welfare safety net is in tatters, and the churches cannot assist further. No, this IS the responsibility of our Federal Government. So says President Dwight D. Eisenhower:
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final
sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone.
It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.
The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities.
It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population.
It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some 50 miles of concrete highway.
We pay for a single fighter plane with a half million bushels of wheat.
We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.
This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road. the world has been taking.
This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.”[1]
.
President Richard M. Nixon had this to say about hunger in America:
“That hunger and malnutrition should persist in a land such as ours is embarrassing and intolerable.”[2]
Now for President Kennedy on hunger:
“"The war against hunger is truly mankind's war of liberation."[3] And ““There is only one rule by which to judge if God is near us or is far away – the rule that God's word is giving us today: everyone concerned for the hungry, the naked, the poor, for those who have vanished in police custody, for the tortured, for prisoners, for all flesh that suffers, has God close at hand. We have the ability, we have the means, and we have the capacity to eliminate hunger from the face of the earth. We need only the will."[4]
Now for President Carter:
"We know that a peaceful world cannot long exist, one-third rich and two-thirds hungry."[5]
Now for President Clinton he acted on hunger: ‘Mickey Leland Childhood Hunger Relief Act of 1993’[6]
.
President George W. Bush on hunger in America:
"I also acted on this timeless belief, to whom much is given, much is required. We have been given a lot in our country. And it's not only in our strategic interests that we deal with hunger and disease, it is in our moral interest that we do so, as well. In the Western Hemisphere, we expanded trade and helped our fellow democracies deliver prosperity and social justice to their people. And around the world, we built a coalition of more than 90 nations to fight terror and advance the cause of freedom in the great ideological struggle of our time. In short, we've made our alliances stronger, we've made our nation safer, and we have made the world freer."
.
President Obama has acted in the war against hunger, much like President Bill Clinton did with : ‘President Obama Signs Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 Into Law’[7]
.
Well, if you have read this far I have captured your attention, and maybe your heart. Right now you might be asking yourself “Yes, Danny, but what can I DO?!” If you are, KUDOS! What you can do to help FIRST? Look around your circle of friends. Be they are work, at church, in your neighborhood or your old friends found-again on Facebook. Reach out and offer help. Believe me when I tell you that right now all around you are people; good honest hard working people, genuinely hungry people that you can easily reach out and help.
.
Contrary to some ill-willed rhetoric not all poor people are drug addicts or alcoholics. There are good and honest people that would love to work, but their disabilities make it impossible to work, or are incapable of living/working without a caregiver. Reach out and help. Put some food in a box and mail it, leave it at a door or take it to a food bank. Get involved in a local church or business group’s support of food banks.
.
Lastly? :Let your voice be heard. Call or write your Congressman and Senators. (I have posted the phone information below) Need to find out WHO to write or call? Go here: Find Your Representative
.
HERE is the number to get a hold of your Senator: United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121
HERE is the number to get a hold of your Congressman: To call your Member of Congress: US Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121
that was the same number... I am going to leave that there... see if anyone... ;)
.
Taking food from the already hungry is just wrong. Today is SUNDAY, the Day of Sabbath. Will you make a pledge to help protect food for the poor and hungry?
Will YOU call your Congressman and Senator? Will YOU reach out to someone you know is hungry or going without food? This level of hunger (One in SIX Americans depend on Food Stamps for all or part of their diet) demands Federal and grassroots action. It requires something from everybody. I stepped up to the plate and have spent four hours over two days preparing this article. I posted that I would be taking a break, but this issue would not let me rest. How about you, My Dear Readers?
Thank you for your time, your consideration and your efforts.
This article was inspired by the article linked below.
.
http://inplainsight.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/19/18307642-ax-hovers-over-food-stamp-program-as-costs-grow?lite
.
The 'Hollowing-Out' of the United States Government
What do you (a Republican) do if the majority of Americans are against your policies to harm governance? You gain a majority in the Lower House and 'Hollow-Out' government from the inside, like termites.
It is time to get the termites out of governance. Time to make America 'Exceptional' again.
.
It is time to get the termites out of governance. Time to make America 'Exceptional' again.
.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/8flADdPMMeQ]
Saturday, May 18, 2013
And Update and Personal Information
My Dear Readers, I am pleased to announce that traffic here at the Other Shoe has increased dramatically over the past two weeks. And I really am overjoyed to see just how many people like to come and read what I’ve written what I share. I want to make everyone aware that the blog blog.com is not getting working properly on any consistent basis. I am really hoping that the people at that blog.com can get their problems fixed. Because, the majority of everything I’ve written for the past two years is at that blog
.
I have a contemplated moving all the content from blog.com over to WordPress. However this would be for far too difficult for me to do at this time. This would entail moving not all of the videos images and pictures that I have saved at the main blog over to the new blog. It can be done, that’s not the problem. The problem is? Me being out of pain long enough to get it all accomplished. Because once you start a process like this you’re not able to stop till you’re done.
.
If anyone out there, who is familiar with basic word processor or websites, is willing to give me a day’s worth of assistance I be happy to let you help me move my God will not yet. Barring that, I’m going to keep double posting at both locations. I now have traffic monitoring, known as Google analytics, monitoring both sites. This means that I am able to track all my traffic from both site and then combine the information.
.
Would you, My Dear Readers, but leave that we are getting nearly 200 visitors a week? Well we are. And I am very flattered, My Dear Readers. I’m doing my best to keep up with content. Aye, there is the rub.
.
I must say that you all have a voracious appetite for information, content, and pretty pictures. LOL not only have I been working hard on this blog the past two weeks, writing as often as frequent and for as long as I can, I’d been working around my house as well. This is left me in a great deal of pain and discomfort this weekend. Therefore, My Dear Readers this will be the only thing I’m able to post until Monday or Tuesday. I apologize for this lapse in content but I am just in so much pain and have over pushed myself more than I should have working around the house. However, in my efforts this week I now have a monitor on my bed so that I don’t have to move any computer to be able to write. Unlike before I will not have to lose move a table with a computer running a power supply and hard drives over to my bed, set it up, use it, and then put it all back up. Starting today I will just have to power on my notebook grab the wireless keyboard and mouse, my headset, and I will be able to write sitting comfortably and supported in bed.
.
What this means, My Dear Readers, as it starting next week there should be a free flow of content and writing that will satisfy even the most voracious appetite. I hope this makes you happy, My Dear Readers, because I know it’s going to make things a lot easier for me and I’ll be a lot less pain.
.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for your kindness, your support, your ideas, your ‘Likes’, your time, and everything that comes with you being My Dear Readers. The last two years here @ The Other Shoe have been just incredible for me. However, looking forward from this point; with the new text-to-speech software, the computer finally getting moved, and the new free monitor someone was throwing away, it looks like I’m going to be able to produce a lot more content and give you a lot more to read.
.
I look forward to seeing you early next week I hope you take this chance to read somewhat of what I produced over the past 10 days there’s a lot that I’ve written since I came back. Until then I wish you good health, happiness, and wealth.
.
See you next week.
.
I have a contemplated moving all the content from blog.com over to WordPress. However this would be for far too difficult for me to do at this time. This would entail moving not all of the videos images and pictures that I have saved at the main blog over to the new blog. It can be done, that’s not the problem. The problem is? Me being out of pain long enough to get it all accomplished. Because once you start a process like this you’re not able to stop till you’re done.
.
If anyone out there, who is familiar with basic word processor or websites, is willing to give me a day’s worth of assistance I be happy to let you help me move my God will not yet. Barring that, I’m going to keep double posting at both locations. I now have traffic monitoring, known as Google analytics, monitoring both sites. This means that I am able to track all my traffic from both site and then combine the information.
.
Would you, My Dear Readers, but leave that we are getting nearly 200 visitors a week? Well we are. And I am very flattered, My Dear Readers. I’m doing my best to keep up with content. Aye, there is the rub.
.
I must say that you all have a voracious appetite for information, content, and pretty pictures. LOL not only have I been working hard on this blog the past two weeks, writing as often as frequent and for as long as I can, I’d been working around my house as well. This is left me in a great deal of pain and discomfort this weekend. Therefore, My Dear Readers this will be the only thing I’m able to post until Monday or Tuesday. I apologize for this lapse in content but I am just in so much pain and have over pushed myself more than I should have working around the house. However, in my efforts this week I now have a monitor on my bed so that I don’t have to move any computer to be able to write. Unlike before I will not have to lose move a table with a computer running a power supply and hard drives over to my bed, set it up, use it, and then put it all back up. Starting today I will just have to power on my notebook grab the wireless keyboard and mouse, my headset, and I will be able to write sitting comfortably and supported in bed.
.
What this means, My Dear Readers, as it starting next week there should be a free flow of content and writing that will satisfy even the most voracious appetite. I hope this makes you happy, My Dear Readers, because I know it’s going to make things a lot easier for me and I’ll be a lot less pain.
.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for your kindness, your support, your ideas, your ‘Likes’, your time, and everything that comes with you being My Dear Readers. The last two years here @ The Other Shoe have been just incredible for me. However, looking forward from this point; with the new text-to-speech software, the computer finally getting moved, and the new free monitor someone was throwing away, it looks like I’m going to be able to produce a lot more content and give you a lot more to read.
.
I look forward to seeing you early next week I hope you take this chance to read somewhat of what I produced over the past 10 days there’s a lot that I’ve written since I came back. Until then I wish you good health, happiness, and wealth.
.
See you next week.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Mid-May The Mars Report
Welcome back, My Dear Readers, to the Mid-May The Mars Report here @ The Other Shoe. It is a genuine pleasure to bring you this edition of The Mars Report. Reason? This is a special edition devoted to panoramic shots of the surface of Mars! This article has NO: rocks, drilled holes, tire tracks or self-portraits (well… maybe just one shot of the rover Curiosity… Have to give her props for what she does!). So without further adieu I bring you the plains and mountain of our sister planet, Mars.
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[caption id="attachment_684" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
This is the first 360-degree panorama in color of the Gale Crater landing site taken by NASA’s Curiosity rover. The panorama was made from thumbnail versions of images taken by the Mast Camera.[/caption]
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This is a shot of Mount Sharp looking up from Rocknest. I tried to make 'thimbnails' of the larger iamges (they are quite large and in HD). Unfortunately, the blog would not accommodate the original size. Therefore, I have made the best of a bad situation and croped a middle size just for my blog and you My Dear Readers! :)
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Now, before we get to the beautiful panoramic images here is an overhead shot of the area Curiosity and we have been. The surrounding crater is Gale Crater and the center is Mount Sharp. There is no ‘scale’ here, but the mountain is larger and higher than Pike’s Peak in Colorado. So, here is the great overhead of our stomping grounds.
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[caption id="attachment_683" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
This graphic shows the pattern of winds predicted to be swirling around and inside Gale Crater, which is where NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars. Modeling the winds gives scientists a context for the data from Curiosity's Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS).[/caption]
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Our next image is a low-level shot of Mount Sharp from the Rocknest area. This was earlier in the mission, about Sol say 54) and Curiosity is much further from Mount Sharp.
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[caption id="attachment_685" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
This panorama is a mosaic of images taken by the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on the NASA Mars rover Curiosity while the rover was working at a site called "Rocknest" in October and November 2012.[/caption]
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This next shot takes us a little further back in our adventure, like back in the beginning (August 8th to be exact). This is a 360-degree shot of Gale Crater wall, near the landing zone
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[caption id="attachment_681" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
This is the first 360-degree panorama in color of the Gale Crater landing site taken by NASA's Curiosity rover. The panorama was made from thumbnail versions of images taken by the Mast Camera.[/caption]
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Well, My Dear Readers, we are coming to the end of this adventure to Mars. I cannot tell you how nice it was to have you drop by and spend a little while. I appreciate your time and the effort you make to ‘Like’ my articles and my Facebook page for The Other Shoe. I am trying to make a go of this blog and every ‘Like’ helps. Below you will find the very first panoramic 360-degree self-portrait of Curiosity. Even in the first weeks she was covered in a layer of dust.
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[caption id="attachment_682" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
On Sol 84 (Oct. 31, 2012), NASA's Curiosity rover used the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to capture this set of 55 high-resolution images, which were stitched together to create this full-color self-portrait.[/caption]
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Nice shot, huh? Well I have to say that I have enjoyed this edition quite a lot. These are the images that I enjoy most, but realize that I need to share all the images I can and try and meet the visual needs of the most people. Be sure to share, if you enjoyed this edition, over Facebook and let your friends and family enjoy these great panoramic images from Curiosity on Mars.
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I look forward to your next visit, and hope that today finds you and your loved ones well. Take care, and remember… ‘Like’ and ‘Share’. ;)
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[caption id="attachment_684" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
This is the first 360-degree panorama in color of the Gale Crater landing site taken by NASA’s Curiosity rover. The panorama was made from thumbnail versions of images taken by the Mast Camera.[/caption](Click on the images in this article to see the Full Sized Images)
(This is the first 360-degree panorama in color of the Gale Crater landing site taken by NASA's Curiosity rover. The panorama was made from thumbnail versions of images taken by the Mast Camera. )
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This is a shot of Mount Sharp looking up from Rocknest. I tried to make 'thimbnails' of the larger iamges (they are quite large and in HD). Unfortunately, the blog would not accommodate the original size. Therefore, I have made the best of a bad situation and croped a middle size just for my blog and you My Dear Readers! :)
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Now, before we get to the beautiful panoramic images here is an overhead shot of the area Curiosity and we have been. The surrounding crater is Gale Crater and the center is Mount Sharp. There is no ‘scale’ here, but the mountain is larger and higher than Pike’s Peak in Colorado. So, here is the great overhead of our stomping grounds.
.
[caption id="attachment_683" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
This graphic shows the pattern of winds predicted to be swirling around and inside Gale Crater, which is where NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars. Modeling the winds gives scientists a context for the data from Curiosity's Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS).[/caption](Image made for showing thermal patterns gives up a great overhead view)
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Our next image is a low-level shot of Mount Sharp from the Rocknest area. This was earlier in the mission, about Sol say 54) and Curiosity is much further from Mount Sharp.
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[caption id="attachment_685" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
This panorama is a mosaic of images taken by the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on the NASA Mars rover Curiosity while the rover was working at a site called "Rocknest" in October and November 2012.[/caption](This panorama is a mosaic of images taken by the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on the NASA Mars rover Curiosity while the rover was working at a site called "Rocknest" in October and November 2012. )
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This next shot takes us a little further back in our adventure, like back in the beginning (August 8th to be exact). This is a 360-degree shot of Gale Crater wall, near the landing zone
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[caption id="attachment_681" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
This is the first 360-degree panorama in color of the Gale Crater landing site taken by NASA's Curiosity rover. The panorama was made from thumbnail versions of images taken by the Mast Camera.[/caption](This is the first 360-degree panorama in color of the Gale Crater landing site taken by NASA's Curiosity rover. The panorama was made from thumbnail versions of images taken by the Mast Camera. )
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Well, My Dear Readers, we are coming to the end of this adventure to Mars. I cannot tell you how nice it was to have you drop by and spend a little while. I appreciate your time and the effort you make to ‘Like’ my articles and my Facebook page for The Other Shoe. I am trying to make a go of this blog and every ‘Like’ helps. Below you will find the very first panoramic 360-degree self-portrait of Curiosity. Even in the first weeks she was covered in a layer of dust.
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[caption id="attachment_682" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
On Sol 84 (Oct. 31, 2012), NASA's Curiosity rover used the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to capture this set of 55 high-resolution images, which were stitched together to create this full-color self-portrait.[/caption](On Sol 84 (Oct. 31, 2012), NASA's Curiosity rover used the Mars Hand Lens Imager
(MAHLI) to capture this set of 55 high-resolution images, which were stitched
together to create this full-color self-portrait.)
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Nice shot, huh? Well I have to say that I have enjoyed this edition quite a lot. These are the images that I enjoy most, but realize that I need to share all the images I can and try and meet the visual needs of the most people. Be sure to share, if you enjoyed this edition, over Facebook and let your friends and family enjoy these great panoramic images from Curiosity on Mars.
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I look forward to your next visit, and hope that today finds you and your loved ones well. Take care, and remember… ‘Like’ and ‘Share’. ;)
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Mars Report
Welcome back My Dear Readers to the newest edition of the Mars report here at the other shoe. This week I bring you a selection of images showing what curiosity is doing on Mars. We all know that curiosity is on Mars, primarily, to find water without water life cannot survive. Therefore to find water on Mars cements hope for finding some kind of life on Mars.
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[caption id="attachment_667" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
A self-portrait of Curiosity taken by the Mast CAM.[/caption]
Above we see a self-portrait of Curiosity. This was created by combining a mosaic of images taken by the Mast Cam (not pictured… it took the shot) on the Curiosity rover. It was taken on February 3, 2013.
Our second image of the day is going to be one of educational value.[Oh, hurrah hooray this should be fun…] The images I share with you here at the other shoe are altered prior to being released to the public. Our first image is split into three parts. The image on the far left side is the raw image that JPL receives from curiosity. The middle image is processed using color calibration to show a natural color. The image on the far right is created DEA’s using the white balancing. This color calibration presupposes there is an item that is why somewhere in the entire horizon.
[caption id="attachment_671" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
RAW/Natural/White Balanced image from Curiosity[/caption]
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Our next image was taken on September 2 2012 and shows a ‘bluish-black rock with white crystals’. The rock remains unnamed and is made of an unknown substance. The rover did not take samples of this rock, but did imaging of the surface.
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[caption id="attachment_666" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
Bluish-Black Rock with White 'Crystals' on Mars[/caption]
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Our next two images need a little science course precursor. If you took advanced science classes you might have learned about neutrino absorption of different materials. Water has the unique characteristic that it absorbs neutrinos more than other substances. This is the basis of the DAN (dynamic albedo of neutrons) device on the Mars Curiosity rover. The image below was taken with this instrument.
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[caption id="attachment_668" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
DAN Imaging Prior To Drilling[/caption]
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Our next image shows the drilling done in the same area.
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[caption id="attachment_669" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
Dust from Mars Drilling - Tailings and Discard Piles[/caption]
This image shows the first holes into rock drilled by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity, with drill tailings around the holes plus piles of powdered rock collected from the deeper hole and later discarded after other portions of the sample had been delivered to analytical instruments inside the rover. The image was taken by the telephoto-lens camera of the rover's Mast Camera (Mastcam) instrument in early afternoon of the 229th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (March 29, 2013). The site is on a patch of flat rock called "John Klein" in the "Yellowknife Bay" area of Mars' Gale Crater. Each of the drill holes is about 0.6 inch (1.6 centimeters) in diameter. The one toward the top of the image was drilled on Sol 180 (Feb. 6, 2013) as a "mini drill" preparatory test. That test went to a depth of 0.8 inch (2 centimeters) without collecting any rock powder. The nearer hole is from the first rock-drilling ever to collect a sample on Mars. Curiosity drilled this hole 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) deep on Sol 182 (Feb. 8, 2013). Analysis of the collected John Klein rock sample by the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instruments inside Curiosity produced evidence of an ancient wet environment that provided favorable conditions for microbial life, including elemental ingredients for life plus a chemical energy gradient such as some terrestrial microbes exploit as an energy source. The sample processing and delivery tool on Curiosity, called the Collection and Handling for In-situ Martian Rock Analysis, or CHIMRA, put the collected powder through a sieve to screen out particles larger than 0.006 inch (150 microns) across, and then delivered portions of the sieved material to the instruments. After delivering a few portions for analysis over the course of several weeks, CHIMRA released both the material that had not passed through the sieve and the leftover sieved material, dropping them in two piles near the drill hole on Sol 229 (March 29, 2013). In this image from a few minutes later, the unsieved material forms a mound to the left of a line between the two holes and the leftover sieved sample material forms a mound to the right. The image has been white-balanced to show what the rock material would look like if it were on Earth. View the two unannotated versions, white-balanced and raw color (showing what the rock material looks like on Mars to the camera.)
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That was rather technical, and I was just not up to rewriting the science. ;) Therefore, this has caught you, and I, up a little on what has been happening on Mars since I stopped posting updates. I will go through more pictures and the mission time line to see if there is anything more. I do know that NASA/JPL lost communications with Curiosity for a period of weeks, ending last week. There was a problem with the memory in the main computer and the only time they had communications was when the backup computer was updating.
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This has been resolved with the main computer shut down completely and the backup computer being designated the (now) main computer. NASA has made clear that they intend to fix the problem with the memory in the main computer and are not at all comfortable with loosing their redundancy with the loss of use of the main computer. I am hoping that this is temporary problem and not a physical problem with the random access memory component in the main computer. If that were the case, Curiosity would completely, and permanently, loose its redundancy capabilities and that would greatly reduce the kind of science performed by Curiosity and decrease the volume and quality of imaging. That would majorly suck for The Mars Report!
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Our next two images are from the Shaler Outcrop in the area Glenelg. The first image is of the outcrop itself.
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[caption id="attachment_672" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
shalewr outcrop in Glenelg[/caption]
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This last shot is a White Balanced color corrected image of this same area in Glenelg, the Shaler Outcrop.
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[caption id="attachment_670" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
Natural Color Photo of Shaler[/caption]
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Well, My Dear Readers, that brings us to the end of another edition of The Mars Report here @ The Other Shoe. Be sure to ‘Like this article (if/since you like it) and ‘Like’ our page at Facebook (The Other Shoe @ Facebook).
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Thanks for dropping by and for your support.
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ENJOY!
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[caption id="attachment_667" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
A self-portrait of Curiosity taken by the Mast CAM.[/caption](Curiosity Self-Protrait)
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Above we see a self-portrait of Curiosity. This was created by combining a mosaic of images taken by the Mast Cam (not pictured… it took the shot) on the Curiosity rover. It was taken on February 3, 2013.
Our second image of the day is going to be one of educational value.[Oh, hurrah hooray this should be fun…] The images I share with you here at the other shoe are altered prior to being released to the public. Our first image is split into three parts. The image on the far left side is the raw image that JPL receives from curiosity. The middle image is processed using color calibration to show a natural color. The image on the far right is created DEA’s using the white balancing. This color calibration presupposes there is an item that is why somewhere in the entire horizon.
[caption id="attachment_671" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
RAW/Natural/White Balanced image from Curiosity[/caption](RAW, Natural and White Balanced Image)
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Our next image was taken on September 2 2012 and shows a ‘bluish-black rock with white crystals’. The rock remains unnamed and is made of an unknown substance. The rover did not take samples of this rock, but did imaging of the surface.
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[caption id="attachment_666" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
Bluish-Black Rock with White 'Crystals' on Mars[/caption](Bluish-Black Rock with White Crystals)
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Our next two images need a little science course precursor. If you took advanced science classes you might have learned about neutrino absorption of different materials. Water has the unique characteristic that it absorbs neutrinos more than other substances. This is the basis of the DAN (dynamic albedo of neutrons) device on the Mars Curiosity rover. The image below was taken with this instrument.
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[caption id="attachment_668" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
DAN Imaging Prior To Drilling[/caption](DAN Imaging of Keystone by Curiosity)
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Our next image shows the drilling done in the same area.
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[caption id="attachment_669" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
Dust from Mars Drilling - Tailings and Discard Piles[/caption](First Holes Drilled By Curiosity on Mars)
(From the NASA/JPL web site)
This image shows the first holes into rock drilled by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity, with drill tailings around the holes plus piles of powdered rock collected from the deeper hole and later discarded after other portions of the sample had been delivered to analytical instruments inside the rover. The image was taken by the telephoto-lens camera of the rover's Mast Camera (Mastcam) instrument in early afternoon of the 229th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (March 29, 2013). The site is on a patch of flat rock called "John Klein" in the "Yellowknife Bay" area of Mars' Gale Crater. Each of the drill holes is about 0.6 inch (1.6 centimeters) in diameter. The one toward the top of the image was drilled on Sol 180 (Feb. 6, 2013) as a "mini drill" preparatory test. That test went to a depth of 0.8 inch (2 centimeters) without collecting any rock powder. The nearer hole is from the first rock-drilling ever to collect a sample on Mars. Curiosity drilled this hole 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) deep on Sol 182 (Feb. 8, 2013). Analysis of the collected John Klein rock sample by the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) and Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instruments inside Curiosity produced evidence of an ancient wet environment that provided favorable conditions for microbial life, including elemental ingredients for life plus a chemical energy gradient such as some terrestrial microbes exploit as an energy source. The sample processing and delivery tool on Curiosity, called the Collection and Handling for In-situ Martian Rock Analysis, or CHIMRA, put the collected powder through a sieve to screen out particles larger than 0.006 inch (150 microns) across, and then delivered portions of the sieved material to the instruments. After delivering a few portions for analysis over the course of several weeks, CHIMRA released both the material that had not passed through the sieve and the leftover sieved material, dropping them in two piles near the drill hole on Sol 229 (March 29, 2013). In this image from a few minutes later, the unsieved material forms a mound to the left of a line between the two holes and the leftover sieved sample material forms a mound to the right. The image has been white-balanced to show what the rock material would look like if it were on Earth. View the two unannotated versions, white-balanced and raw color (showing what the rock material looks like on Mars to the camera.)
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That was rather technical, and I was just not up to rewriting the science. ;) Therefore, this has caught you, and I, up a little on what has been happening on Mars since I stopped posting updates. I will go through more pictures and the mission time line to see if there is anything more. I do know that NASA/JPL lost communications with Curiosity for a period of weeks, ending last week. There was a problem with the memory in the main computer and the only time they had communications was when the backup computer was updating.
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This has been resolved with the main computer shut down completely and the backup computer being designated the (now) main computer. NASA has made clear that they intend to fix the problem with the memory in the main computer and are not at all comfortable with loosing their redundancy with the loss of use of the main computer. I am hoping that this is temporary problem and not a physical problem with the random access memory component in the main computer. If that were the case, Curiosity would completely, and permanently, loose its redundancy capabilities and that would greatly reduce the kind of science performed by Curiosity and decrease the volume and quality of imaging. That would majorly suck for The Mars Report!
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Our next two images are from the Shaler Outcrop in the area Glenelg. The first image is of the outcrop itself.
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[caption id="attachment_672" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
shalewr outcrop in Glenelg[/caption](Shaler Outcrop @ Glenelg)
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This last shot is a White Balanced color corrected image of this same area in Glenelg, the Shaler Outcrop.
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[caption id="attachment_670" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
Natural Color Photo of Shaler[/caption](Natural Color Image of Shaler Outcrop in Glenelg)
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Well, My Dear Readers, that brings us to the end of another edition of The Mars Report here @ The Other Shoe. Be sure to ‘Like this article (if/since you like it) and ‘Like’ our page at Facebook (The Other Shoe @ Facebook).
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Thanks for dropping by and for your support.
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ENJOY!
Crossover of Content - The Other Shoe @ Blog Dot COM
Welcome back My Dear Readers! This is a short article to make you aware that I have copied all the content from The Other Shoe @ Blog dot com to this site at Wordpress Now, or within the next few days, there should be all 150 articles (that I have written over the past two years) here at Word Press. Most of this content is time sensitive and will therefore have little bearing on today’s issues. However, I feel it’s best to have a backup of all my written material here at Wordpress.
My Dear Readers if you see something wrong with earlier content, like missing pictures are garbled text, please drop me an email so that I can correct this site. Right now I'm busy working on the Mars report for Saturday, May 10, 2013. I hope to see everyone here tomorrow to look at the images and read about Mars. Thank you so much for dropping by. And as always, enjoy!
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[caption id="attachment_72" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
The Other Shoe @ Blog.com[/caption]
My Dear Readers if you see something wrong with earlier content, like missing pictures are garbled text, please drop me an email so that I can correct this site. Right now I'm busy working on the Mars report for Saturday, May 10, 2013. I hope to see everyone here tomorrow to look at the images and read about Mars. Thank you so much for dropping by. And as always, enjoy!
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[caption id="attachment_72" align="aligncenter" width="630"]
The Other Shoe @ Blog.com[/caption]
No Great Loss...
No Great Loss!
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[caption id="attachment_655" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Mc Donald's Angus Burger[/caption].
Today the corporate offices of Mc Donald's Restaurants announced that they will no longer be serving the 1/3lb 'Angus' burger in its stores.
"A bit of bad news for all you beef lovers out there: McDonald's said Thursday that it's cutting one-third pound Angus burgers from its menus in the U.S. as beef prices hit all-time highs." (From NBC news)
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This comes as not great loss to me because they never tasted that good. I have tried, several times, to garner a taste for these burgers, to no avail. I am happy to see that American beef prices are on the rise. I cannot tell you how many times I have been forced to listen to clap trap about how 'President Obama is bad for beef... beef prices are at an all time low (lie)...' and similar distasteful rhetoric. Now the cow is out of the barn; beef prices are on the rise and the 'Angus' burger has gone to the place Carl's Jr. 'Where's the beef?' lady went. Good riddance.
Thanks for dropping by and reading.
ENJOY!
pls be sure to 'Like' and 'Like' my Facebook page for The Other Shoe!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
April Traffic Report - End Of
Today I am going to post some information and charts covering the traffic here @ The Other Shoe. First, this information is just for this site, here at blog.com. I am working to get the traffic reports from my mirror blog @ Word Press. Just at the end of last month, did I finally the the other other shoe registered with google analytics and Bing. Honest, I just started this blog to vent a little, politically, and keep stir crazy at bay. I never really intended for this to be commercial. ‘The best laid plans of mice and men’ apparently applies to middle-aged men and their rats. Now, on to the article… stay tuned till the end (or skip there if you are @ work) I have something personal/important to say.
Keep in mind this is only a half of a month in genuine traffic. I did not return, with any regularity, to The Other Shoe until April 15th. It wasn’t a great month, My Dear Readers. I remember the reports, back in August and September 2012, where I had one thousand hits and regular readers in South Korea and India. I do not know if I will physically be able to do that, again. I really want to write on a regular basis… if only there was another another author here @ The Other Shoe! Still there are enough visitors for us to get some helpful information to improve this blog.
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(Overview Part One)
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This is an over view of the traffic report from Google Analytics. Google analytics is a free service from Google you just need to set it up at the site linked above. I was absent from this blog from mid November until mid April the next year. I looked at the traffic reports for those months, and it is a flat line with the regular blip. A handful of people just kept coming back and seeing if there was anything new posted. That would be you My Dear Readers. I did notice. However, I am happy to report that once I started posting, again, the traffic came back quickly. Already I am experiencing weekend traffic of 20’s per day. That is not a bad (re)start for my blog after being dormant for five months. I am happy to see My Dear Readers return.
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(Overview Part Two)
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These first two images are an over view of the traffic between April 7th, 2013 and May 7th, 2013. For the most part, the hills and valleys directly correspond to the days I have new content posted, and when I do not. [You should see the traffic reports from the five months I was gone. Looks like a ‘flat line’ from a heart monitor.] As well, a majority of returning readers drop by for a short visit during the week. Then they will come back on the weekend, read several pages, and stay for up to an hour. [My Dear Readers, I have never allowed ads on my blog. Previously, I only allowed ads for my funding campaigns. After the first of next year that may well have to change. I will keep you posted] Next I am going to show you the breakdown of traffic according to where our blog Readers live!
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(Visitor Breakdown – Page views)
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.Three readers have dropped by my blog from the country of Cyprus.
(Map Showing the Location of Cyprus)
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A super sincere ‘Shout-Out!’ to my readers from Cyprus!! I am actually making reading about your country, and current events there, a priority for future reading. Look for an article based on that reading soon.
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Further, I have one reader from Hong Kong (“Hello, Eddie Lo!”), one from Germany and two from unknown. Think out of all this information, that has me creeped out the most. Where in the world is ‘unknown’? But this is a good start for a content source that was just MIA for five months. Yes, I am going to explain that repeated phrase… a little, soon. In order for me to capture more of the foreign audiences I need to be posting very late at night and very early in the morning. This was not a problem during the Power Chair and Moving assistance campaigns on Indiegogo. I has not getting much sleep at all, for three months. So, I garnered more of these international audiences because my posts would be appearing as Newly Posted; on the blogs, in RSS feeds, on Google, and @ the blog sties themselves. I just may recapture this same audience in a month or so.
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(New or Returning Readers Status)
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The chart above shows the traffic broken down by either New Reader or Returning Reader. From this breakdown, I take heart. I am very happy to see that more of my traffic is returning readers to new readers. This cannot continue, I need to expand my readership and I really need to do that last week. [My Dear Readers you can help me by sharing my Facebook posts, ‘Liking’ my article or Facebook page or telling friends at work and family. Thank you!] I am not gravely concerned, at this time, that readership is not expanding. Some tell me that my ‘numbers are upside down…’. We will keep an eye on these numbers in the future.
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(Engagement)
This number is ‘Right side up’, for the most part. People stay longer at my blog. If you look at the stats on page turns, you see that people read more than one article and turn two or more pages. This will greatly help when I move to an advertising format. I am personally happy that people like to read more, not less, of what I write. *blush*
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(Another breakdown of International Readers)
So, My Dear Readers are in; America, Mexico, Alaska, India, Hong Kong (Hi Eddie!), and Eastern Europe. I have a lot of area to expand, and nothing would make me happier!
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(Broken Down by Browser & OS)
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This image shows that Microsoft Internet Explorer is the most used browser (that tells me that I have a more mature audience), but there is a lot of app views of my pages. This means that some of you, My Dear Readers, are reading my works via your iPhone or Android. Thank you for mobile reading my work. ;)
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(Visitor Flow)
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Our last image for the day shows the flow of our visitors once they arrive here @ The Other Shoe. This looks good, to me. I can improve, one way by getting help with my site design to improve the traffic flow and visitor retention. This helps me understand I need to read more and reach out and ask for help, from people that may know this information already.
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That brings us to the end of today’s work. I hope that you are happy that you dropped by. Thank you, My Dear Readers, for everything you do.
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ENJOY!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
And Now, As Promised, Princess Nadia and the Healing Light
Near the end of last year, right after the dust from the last campaign settled, I began to write (more like mention) a future project that was dear to my heart. Throughout the holidays I dropped clues and hints as to the hero of my work, and the world in which it would be set. By the first of this year the title was out; 'Princess Nadia and the Healing Light' would be a tale (pun intended) of a wonderful Princess among rats.
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Until today that was all any human on Earth knew of the story that lived inside me. One I was just itching (just keeps happening) to tell. Since my software arrived, the program that takes my voice and turns it into articles, I have been working day and night. Time is of no relevance, this is a labor of love, I mean to complete. When not wirting for this wonderful blog, I have been busy behind the scenes breathing life to my dream. Right now, today, I will share with you the fruits of my labor. The joy of my labor of love. A couple of pages is all, but you will quickly see it is much more than that. These few pages are a glimpse into another whole world, to which you are invited.
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It is with great trepidation and much hesitation that these words I do share. For I fear, to the pit of my soul, that my words will be robbed of me and made slave to another man. For him they would be but characters, another brand to just harvest. But to me? These are people I know and have grown to love. They lived with me in this world, only to pass into another inside my head. There they have flourished; found love and conquest, as well as fear and treachery. I trust you, My Dear Readers, as I always have and always will... it is the others I cannot, nay will not, trust with my mind's children not even one breath.
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Please, My Dear Readers, tread easily in this new land. Come not with dark emotions or ill will in your heart or your mind, for these creations are fragile and need love and support to survive.
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(remember editing takes a LOT longer than writing... I am STILL working the bugs out of this... please be kind. )
.
With a soft thud, Princess Nadia drops from the end of the rope to the floor. She rolls slightly to the right so she falls right beside the hinges on the door. Two tugs on the rope brought the rope and rigging down into her waiting arms. Quickly she packs the rope and gear into her backpack that is until she hears the breathing… and… fish?
“Going somewhere my pretty?” Nadia hears in a smooth and quiet purring voice with a British accent.
“I have been watching you for weeks, my dear what ever are you up to?”
Princess Nadia had not expected this visitor, Whiskers the cat was the family pet but rarely came around Daniel’s room. This is going to be a tricky situation thought Princess Nadia. If she wanted to kill me I’d already be dead it’s best to play this one calm and cool.
“Hello Whiskers. I really hadn’t planned on a visit this evening, though it certainly is nice to see you is that fish I smell your breath?”
“Why thank you for asking, Nadia, it is fish it’s a new dish that the family is feeding me you simply must try it.”
“While I think you’d dearly, Whiskers, space for inviting me. I have so very much yet to do tonight I think I’ll have to take a rain check, thank you!”
While Nadia was not quite sure that Whiskers would take her subtle hand, she had to make a try at dismissing Whiskers and getting on with her very busy evening.
“Well that’s kind of rude for a Princess, Nadia! I don’t think I will be so easily dismissed this evening and it’s just you, a stormy night, and me, dear. Now I’m going to ask you kindly just one more time my Princess (sarcastically said) what ever are you doing in my house on this night?”
It was obvious Nadia wasn’t going anywhere and still paid attention to Whiskers. Nadia put down her packet, which she had been busy with all along, turned full front towards Whiskers and addressed her as royalty.
“Good evening and my apologies dear lady. I had neither ill will nor intention to offend you. I am rather quite busy, as you can see, but I’m here tonight to prepare for later this week. When, if all goes according to plan, I hope to have Daniel walking again!”
Whiskers bristles at this idea. She stands where she was and arches her back all the time her fur begins to stand on end.
“Princess Nadia I will have you know that I will do anything and everything in my power to protect master Daniel from any ill intent of yours. Further I demand to know this very moment your exact plans and what you have in mind for my master!”
Princess Nadia was impressed, and overjoyed, to see such a deep level of devotion to one’s master. She thought that she heard love in Whisker’s voice, but how could such a cold and calculating feline feel love for another, especially a human. Nadia was old enough to know the fear, anger and even hatred a majority of the wild animals shared for humans. They killed whole families, whole genus and even whole species. Wiped out entire forests and ecosystems, just to satisfy their unending thirst for the materials within Mother Earth.
Nadia had developed a deep affection; maybe even a respect, for Daniel over the past several months. She had been observing Master Daniel all this time sizing him up to see if he would be a viable candidate for a gift Princess Nadia would bestow upon him. A very special gift, a remarkable gift, a healing gift. What remained now was preparing the house and Daniel’s room for the fateful day when she had in her hand, the miraculous gift that would heal her new friend.
Princess Nadia was unsure just how much she could trust Whiskers with the whole truth; it was so shocking she had not even discussed it with her father, the King, or anyone she trusted. She feared that her own people might try to stop her, to protect them.
“There is nothing to fear, but fear itself!”
A once great human leader spoke those words to a nation at war to give his people strength, and it rings true nearly one hundred years later. Princess Nadia had the strength to tell Whiskers the truth. She just hoped that Whiskers had the strength to keep an open mind, when it came to her Master.
“There really isn’t time for this, my new friend Whiskers. Perhaps when we had more time and we can set and share, say, a saucer of cream I’d be happy to tell you the long and winding tale. That sounded agreeable for the moment Whiskers?
“No Princess Nadia (said very sarcastically now, and with a growl), that is not agreeable for the moment or at any time. No, either you explain to me what you are doing here, with that bag of tricks and toys or I will make Henry aware of your presence! And, as everyone knows dogs don’t take time to talk”.
Well now she was only left with explaining the entire situation, to the best of her ability and as quickly as possible. Least Whiskers makes Henry aware of her nocturnal activities. Rock, meet hard place. There was no time for the science involved. Princess Nadia would have to make this an explanation based on comparisons.
Just then, right as Princess Nadia was finishing that thought, she thought she heard Henry’s tags jingle on his collar. But it was so faint, almost a whisper, it might just be a trick of sound modified by her fear of Henry. That and Whiskers had mentioned him just moments ago. Her thoughts interrupted by a growing sound; Whiskers had started impatiently growling under her breath. Sink or swim, Princes, sink or swim.
“I will tell you what you need, what you want, to know Whiskers. However, I must favor brevity over accuracy and I hope you will understand. As well, forgive my reticence in explaining this for I have not even told my own father or any of my family or friends of what I plan to do. You are very intelligent animal, for a cat, you must certainly be aware that myself, and my brethren, are genuinely different from any other rodents you’ve ever seen? The difference, my dear Whiskers, is that I and my people, the DnA rats, have been genetically enhanced and modified. I am hoping to use this very tool, this mechanism, to genetically alter and enhance your master, Daniel.”
Whiskers stops growling and relaxes her stance on the beam in the ceiling. Even from her distance Princess Nadia can see the words she has spoken have given some assurance to the great orange tabby. Nadia feels as though the tide is turning in her favor, so she pushes the advantage and continues to explain.
“My father Nakita, the leader of my people, has worked with this miracle tool since the ‘Day of Cataclysm’ and ‘The Great Awakening’. This tool of man already we use regularly to help and heal our own people."
I do not know if you know it, Whiskers, but over the past three months I have spent hours nearly every day in that room with Daniel getting to know him. You know the device the parents use to watch his dreams?”
Both of them were locked, eye-to-eye, not a single muscle moved without the other taking note. This is the way two advisaries, in the wild, make their own kind of peace.
Whiskers acknowledges Nadia’s question by bowing her head. Yes, she had seen the glowy-box that the Master’s parents played images and sounds of Daniel while he lay motionless in the great metal bed. The first time they had played this device Whiskers was in the other room. Upon hearing her Master’s voice her heart leapt to her throat and she dashed, as fast as she could, to be at her awakened Master’s side. Only to be horribly shocked, when entering the room, at the sight of his body still lying in the great bed not having moved. But his voice rang out from the glowy-box above the bed. Whatever machine of man it may be, she did not care for it and often hissed at it when she was in Master’s room.
“Unknown to man, this glowy-box can be used both ways. Not only can one see into Master Daniel’s dream I can talk with him while he sleeps.”
This would be the ‘tricky bit’. Either Whiskers would hear the sincerity in her voice and trust her, or Nadia’s words would fall on deaf cat ears.
.......
.....
...
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Until today that was all any human on Earth knew of the story that lived inside me. One I was just itching (just keeps happening) to tell. Since my software arrived, the program that takes my voice and turns it into articles, I have been working day and night. Time is of no relevance, this is a labor of love, I mean to complete. When not wirting for this wonderful blog, I have been busy behind the scenes breathing life to my dream. Right now, today, I will share with you the fruits of my labor. The joy of my labor of love. A couple of pages is all, but you will quickly see it is much more than that. These few pages are a glimpse into another whole world, to which you are invited.
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It is with great trepidation and much hesitation that these words I do share. For I fear, to the pit of my soul, that my words will be robbed of me and made slave to another man. For him they would be but characters, another brand to just harvest. But to me? These are people I know and have grown to love. They lived with me in this world, only to pass into another inside my head. There they have flourished; found love and conquest, as well as fear and treachery. I trust you, My Dear Readers, as I always have and always will... it is the others I cannot, nay will not, trust with my mind's children not even one breath.
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Please, My Dear Readers, tread easily in this new land. Come not with dark emotions or ill will in your heart or your mind, for these creations are fragile and need love and support to survive.
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(remember editing takes a LOT longer than writing... I am STILL working the bugs out of this... please be kind. )
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Princess Nadia and the Healing Light
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With a soft thud, Princess Nadia drops from the end of the rope to the floor. She rolls slightly to the right so she falls right beside the hinges on the door. Two tugs on the rope brought the rope and rigging down into her waiting arms. Quickly she packs the rope and gear into her backpack that is until she hears the breathing… and… fish?
“Going somewhere my pretty?” Nadia hears in a smooth and quiet purring voice with a British accent.
“I have been watching you for weeks, my dear what ever are you up to?”
Princess Nadia had not expected this visitor, Whiskers the cat was the family pet but rarely came around Daniel’s room. This is going to be a tricky situation thought Princess Nadia. If she wanted to kill me I’d already be dead it’s best to play this one calm and cool.
“Hello Whiskers. I really hadn’t planned on a visit this evening, though it certainly is nice to see you is that fish I smell your breath?”
“Why thank you for asking, Nadia, it is fish it’s a new dish that the family is feeding me you simply must try it.”
“While I think you’d dearly, Whiskers, space for inviting me. I have so very much yet to do tonight I think I’ll have to take a rain check, thank you!”
While Nadia was not quite sure that Whiskers would take her subtle hand, she had to make a try at dismissing Whiskers and getting on with her very busy evening.
“Well that’s kind of rude for a Princess, Nadia! I don’t think I will be so easily dismissed this evening and it’s just you, a stormy night, and me, dear. Now I’m going to ask you kindly just one more time my Princess (sarcastically said) what ever are you doing in my house on this night?”
It was obvious Nadia wasn’t going anywhere and still paid attention to Whiskers. Nadia put down her packet, which she had been busy with all along, turned full front towards Whiskers and addressed her as royalty.
“Good evening and my apologies dear lady. I had neither ill will nor intention to offend you. I am rather quite busy, as you can see, but I’m here tonight to prepare for later this week. When, if all goes according to plan, I hope to have Daniel walking again!”
Whiskers bristles at this idea. She stands where she was and arches her back all the time her fur begins to stand on end.
“Princess Nadia I will have you know that I will do anything and everything in my power to protect master Daniel from any ill intent of yours. Further I demand to know this very moment your exact plans and what you have in mind for my master!”
Princess Nadia was impressed, and overjoyed, to see such a deep level of devotion to one’s master. She thought that she heard love in Whisker’s voice, but how could such a cold and calculating feline feel love for another, especially a human. Nadia was old enough to know the fear, anger and even hatred a majority of the wild animals shared for humans. They killed whole families, whole genus and even whole species. Wiped out entire forests and ecosystems, just to satisfy their unending thirst for the materials within Mother Earth.
Nadia had developed a deep affection; maybe even a respect, for Daniel over the past several months. She had been observing Master Daniel all this time sizing him up to see if he would be a viable candidate for a gift Princess Nadia would bestow upon him. A very special gift, a remarkable gift, a healing gift. What remained now was preparing the house and Daniel’s room for the fateful day when she had in her hand, the miraculous gift that would heal her new friend.
Princess Nadia was unsure just how much she could trust Whiskers with the whole truth; it was so shocking she had not even discussed it with her father, the King, or anyone she trusted. She feared that her own people might try to stop her, to protect them.
“There is nothing to fear, but fear itself!”
A once great human leader spoke those words to a nation at war to give his people strength, and it rings true nearly one hundred years later. Princess Nadia had the strength to tell Whiskers the truth. She just hoped that Whiskers had the strength to keep an open mind, when it came to her Master.
“There really isn’t time for this, my new friend Whiskers. Perhaps when we had more time and we can set and share, say, a saucer of cream I’d be happy to tell you the long and winding tale. That sounded agreeable for the moment Whiskers?
“No Princess Nadia (said very sarcastically now, and with a growl), that is not agreeable for the moment or at any time. No, either you explain to me what you are doing here, with that bag of tricks and toys or I will make Henry aware of your presence! And, as everyone knows dogs don’t take time to talk”.
Well now she was only left with explaining the entire situation, to the best of her ability and as quickly as possible. Least Whiskers makes Henry aware of her nocturnal activities. Rock, meet hard place. There was no time for the science involved. Princess Nadia would have to make this an explanation based on comparisons.
Just then, right as Princess Nadia was finishing that thought, she thought she heard Henry’s tags jingle on his collar. But it was so faint, almost a whisper, it might just be a trick of sound modified by her fear of Henry. That and Whiskers had mentioned him just moments ago. Her thoughts interrupted by a growing sound; Whiskers had started impatiently growling under her breath. Sink or swim, Princes, sink or swim.
“I will tell you what you need, what you want, to know Whiskers. However, I must favor brevity over accuracy and I hope you will understand. As well, forgive my reticence in explaining this for I have not even told my own father or any of my family or friends of what I plan to do. You are very intelligent animal, for a cat, you must certainly be aware that myself, and my brethren, are genuinely different from any other rodents you’ve ever seen? The difference, my dear Whiskers, is that I and my people, the DnA rats, have been genetically enhanced and modified. I am hoping to use this very tool, this mechanism, to genetically alter and enhance your master, Daniel.”
Whiskers stops growling and relaxes her stance on the beam in the ceiling. Even from her distance Princess Nadia can see the words she has spoken have given some assurance to the great orange tabby. Nadia feels as though the tide is turning in her favor, so she pushes the advantage and continues to explain.
“My father Nakita, the leader of my people, has worked with this miracle tool since the ‘Day of Cataclysm’ and ‘The Great Awakening’. This tool of man already we use regularly to help and heal our own people."
I do not know if you know it, Whiskers, but over the past three months I have spent hours nearly every day in that room with Daniel getting to know him. You know the device the parents use to watch his dreams?”
Both of them were locked, eye-to-eye, not a single muscle moved without the other taking note. This is the way two advisaries, in the wild, make their own kind of peace.
Whiskers acknowledges Nadia’s question by bowing her head. Yes, she had seen the glowy-box that the Master’s parents played images and sounds of Daniel while he lay motionless in the great metal bed. The first time they had played this device Whiskers was in the other room. Upon hearing her Master’s voice her heart leapt to her throat and she dashed, as fast as she could, to be at her awakened Master’s side. Only to be horribly shocked, when entering the room, at the sight of his body still lying in the great bed not having moved. But his voice rang out from the glowy-box above the bed. Whatever machine of man it may be, she did not care for it and often hissed at it when she was in Master’s room.
“Unknown to man, this glowy-box can be used both ways. Not only can one see into Master Daniel’s dream I can talk with him while he sleeps.”
This would be the ‘tricky bit’. Either Whiskers would hear the sincerity in her voice and trust her, or Nadia’s words would fall on deaf cat ears.
.......
.....
...
.leaving the world of Nadia...
.all but a memory now...
.as the light dawns on the real world...
And, with that, My Dear Readers I return you to the world of today. I know, it can be a bit of a shock. That will pass the more often you read. I hope and pray that you have enjoyed my words, and my children. This is one of the best scenes I have put to paper so far. However, I do think it gives you a very good idea of what came before and what is yet to come. They are wonderful characters. Full of love and hope, fears and pain, just like us. They are fragile in heart and strong in body and mind. I hope that I, and you My Dear Readers, get to spend many long years with them a part of our lives.
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I truly hate toleave you, My Dear Readers, but my body is weak and my pain is great. For the past wek I have labored long and hard to bring a little entertainment to your home, joy to your life and a smile on your face. If I have achieved two of those, I am a very happy man. Have a wodnerful Sunday, and I look forward to sharing more with you, My Dear Readers, soon.
.
Thanks for dropping by...
ENJOY!
Saturday, May 4, 2013
The Syrian Conflict
IMHO before anyone begins the journey of understanding this conflict, the Syrian war/Syrian Civil War/Free Syrian Army, they should take a quick trip back down memory lane. We should remember “massing weapons of mass destruction…” and ”Iraq is buying yellow cake…” my personal favorite and certain historic quotation, “a smoking gun in the form of a mushroom cloud…” .America’s intelligence gathering in the Middle East is ‘hit & miss’ on the best day and when super powers act on faulty intelligence…; it costs thousands of lives, trillions of dollars and leaves America in the trash bin of history.
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There are no two ways about it, this time we simply must get it right, least our children and grandchildren pay the price. Now is not the time for shotgun diplomacy or testosterone induced rants of national pride or the superiority of our cause. American troops are fighting hard in Afghanistan (with the deadly summer season right around the corner) and Iraq is still not ‘buttoned up’. The last thing we (America) needs is another ‘open-ended’ involvement in the Middle East. IMHO The sooner we can, peacefully get our troops out of this hotbed, the better.
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The crux of the Syrian conflict is that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (Son of father and previous Syrian President for Life Hafez al-Assad) is a bloodthirsty tyrant. Ok, that was editorial… I’ll cop to that… OK I remember reading about Hafez as a boy (yes, I read about the Middle East back @ PHS) he was a man that could be talked to, reasoned with. Maybe not with his people, but Henry Kissinger seemed to be able to reach Hafez al-Assad.
To be completely honest to my perspective on this situation I am going to share a little back-story. Hafez al-Assad “transform(ed) a Middle East backwater into an introverted regional power that endured as the center of unbending Arab hostility toward Israel”[1]
His people did not love Hafez. He was ‘The Butcher of Hama’ for his eradication of thousands of residents of Hama in February 1982 (just five years after we graduated). For the other side of the coin? Hafez was stopping an Islamic Fundamentalist insurgency (it was Islamic Fundementalists that attacked on 9/11). Least that is what his news agencies reported and what it looked like from the outside.
Here are thoughts, of Hafez, from Henry Kissinger;
"His tactic was to open with a statement of the most extreme position to test what the traffic would bear," Mr. Kissinger wrote in "Years of Upheaval," the volume of his memoirs published in 1982. "He might then allow himself to be driven back to the attainable, fighting a dogged rearguard action that made clear that concessions could be exacted only at a heavy price and that discouraged excessive expectations of them. (His negotiating style was in this respect not so different from the Israelis', much as both of them would hate the comparison.)"[2]
He could be negotiated with, reasoned with, talked to and progress could be made. If only that were true of his son, Bashar al-Assad we (America and the International Community) would not be boxed into the corner we are today.
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I do not envy President Obama, today. If Romney had been elected, I would not envy a President Romney one bit less. This is a bramble bush wrapped in barbed wire, nothing less. Just by trying to help you are going to get hurt. We wouldn’t be America if we didn’t help a people oppressed by their leader. Though, on a personal note it would be nice to live in a world where America didn’t have to be spending trillions of dollars every year for military ‘assistance’ to one people or another. So long as we are in debt, Republicans will keep gutting programs for the least advantaged while cutting taxes for the wealthy… and buying lottery tickets every week. It is a vicious cycle, I know.
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Now, I was going to bring you a chart of the different ‘factions’ fighting in Syrian currently. Well, that just wasn’t going to get done today (5/4/13). So I am going to do my best to outline the major players, in Syria, so that you can get a better understanding of who is behind what. The first party were going to talk about, and one currently in power in Syria, is the Ba Athist party (Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party). The Ba 'Athist this party is “is an Arab nationalist ideology that promotes the development and creation of an Arab nation through the leadership of a vanguard party over a progressive revolutionary state. The ideology is officially based on the theories of Zaki al-Arsuzi (according to the pro-Syrian Ba'ath movement), Michel Aflaq and Salah al-Din al-Bitar.” [3]
Yeah, right. As many parties as colors in the rainbow. But doesn’t this signal something? Doesn’t this signal a underlying problem with governance in Syria and the Syrian people? Happily, look at America, we have a two-party system. There are tertiary and and anciliary parties. We have; the tea party, the Libertarian party, the Green party and we also have the Independent party. Out of these, say, six partiesThe Independent party is the only one that made any real inroads in government governance at the federal level. Now compare those two major parties and one secondary party, and you still only have three.
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This clearly shows a very divided people in Syria. Now ,literally. for the past hundred years very intelligent men have been able to turn this divided people into an advantage for them politically. However, my money’s on the fact that time is coming into a quick end. And nation so bitterly divided and fragmented can be easily controlled via money and strong arm tactics. Now you understand the past hundred years of the nation of Syria.
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For me, this is the mistake we made going into Iraq in the first place, we didn’t not understand the political environment we were injecting ourselves into. Let us at least, this time, go and with eyes wide open. In future articles I’m going to do my best to break down the most influential of the parties you see above, I will share that with you this next week. The Baathist party has been controlling Syria, and its people, since 1963. Prior to the 1960s bigotry will Syria rotated through 3 to 4 parties, which I will not really get into in these articles. It suffice to say that in the early 60s the back-office took control of the Syrian government and the Syrian people and they have had an iron like grip on this country and its people since.
There is a very old paradigm at play here, My Dear Readers, the Russians openly spoke of it… A fragmented people must be controlled by the heel of the boot. The only way you can make a people stop fighting each other is give them something to be more afraid of than their neighbor. Something I hope they never learn here in America. This tactic has been extremely successful for the Baathists in Syria for three generations. Honestly, if it were not for the Internet unlimited, and limited news sources, bloggers like myself, and a 20 4/7 365 new cycle. I’m not sure any of us would be talking or reading about the problem in Syria today.
It is coming clearly into focus, as of Friday, that the son of Hafez has made the ultimate mistake of not altering his tactics according to the times. Since the weekday new cycle stopped, and the weekend new cycle started; Pres. Obama has stated clearly American troops will not intervene in Syria, Israel has made select airstrikes on troops and ammunition leaving Syria for Hamas controlled Palestine.
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Let’s chew on that for just a moment. I have not turned on Fox news since Friday… But I’ll bet you a dollar to a nickel doughnut they are saying things to the effect of "President Obama has Israel doing his dirty work" or "Pres. Obama’s weakness is depending on Israel to do his job for him". Hogwash. Israel has made it clear, since probably 1980, anytime they see troops or munitions moving into the controlled areas they will destroy them. This is nothing new. This really isn’t news, but coming on the heels of serious civil war and that the arms were coming from Hamas Syria to Hamas’s Palestine that was all the Israeli government needed. Personally, I applaud Israel’s action.
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Earlier I referred to Syria as a bramble bush wrapped in bar wire. My Dear Readers, America's bound to get cut dealing with Syria. The only real question, My Dear Readers, is how bad America will get hurt. I hate to say this, I really do! .IMHO the least amount we can do to protect the Syrian people from their dictator is what to do. The threat of this conflict spreading out side their borders is greatly limited. Iraq is the largest bordering state to Syria to its east. Iraq is the most stable it’s been in a generation. We still have a strong presence in Iraq. The CIA is still very active in Iraq.
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Directly below Syria we have the great nation of Jordan. Sure it is not without its problems, but right now Jordan is quiet. The chances of the Ba 'Ahtist moving south into Jordan and flaming the fires of discontent there are slim-to-none. Below Syria to the southwest we have Israel. I think Friday’s action by Israel proves we have no real concern the Syrian conflict moving south to Israel.
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I feel for the people of Syria deeply, as we all should. Do I feel for the people of Syria to the tune of $1 trillion? Hell no! In the real estate game this would be called a money pit. There is no way America wants to get ankle or knee deep in this bloodbath. I stand behind Pres. Obama in exercising caution. Let’s face the fact we will never fully know what happened in Syria in the past two weeks. There will be many conflicting reports, coming from many many sources. The loudest voice, I fear, will be the darkest tale. My Dear Readers a chill runs up my spine when I sit here and try and imagine what these people are going through. But a chill also runs up my spine when I think of the 19 million Americans with less food this summer. 19 million Americans will be one step closer to starvation in the greatest nation on this planet. I am one of them.
Priorities, people! (In my best Dennis Hopper voice)
Thank you so much for coming by today. I hope you enjoyed this article today. I very much enjoyed bringing it to you. Look back later this week for more on the parties of Syria (like a root canal). And I look forward to seeing you here later this week.
UPDATE: As of 8PM Pacific time.
"Hundreds of Syrians have fled coastal areas where activists accuse government forces of carrying out massacres in a campaign of sectarian cleansing.
Footage of mutilated and burned bodies, allegedly from the town of Baniyas, have been posted online.
Activists said at least 77 people - 20 from the same family - were killed, a day after 72 died in nearby al-Bayda."
Thanks to BBC news web site.
The genocide continues in the coastal towns and cities. I will keep you informed. Thanks for coming by.
{ Be VERY careful 'Googling' the 'Free Syrian Army'... PLEASE! Reason; I have strong antivirus protection, a hardware firewall and a software firewall and run 256 bit encrypted browsers to view any sites. As well, I create a 'Virtual Machine' ANYTIME I start searching for news and information outside mainstream media. You MUST be so vigilant, too. There is a supposed 'Free Syrian Army' web site. I clicked on the link and within one second my alarms were going off like mad. Thankfully my CMOS machine speaker did not "Beep"... CMOS viruses can brick a tablet or computer faster than you can say "Oh, shit!" Stick to CNN, MSNBC (for open minded individuals). There is a really god source I LOVE to use: http://www.bbc.com/news/}
ENJOY!
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(A Map of Syria)
There are no two ways about it, this time we simply must get it right, least our children and grandchildren pay the price. Now is not the time for shotgun diplomacy or testosterone induced rants of national pride or the superiority of our cause. American troops are fighting hard in Afghanistan (with the deadly summer season right around the corner) and Iraq is still not ‘buttoned up’. The last thing we (America) needs is another ‘open-ended’ involvement in the Middle East. IMHO The sooner we can, peacefully get our troops out of this hotbed, the better.
.
The crux of the Syrian conflict is that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (Son of father and previous Syrian President for Life Hafez al-Assad) is a bloodthirsty tyrant. Ok, that was editorial… I’ll cop to that… OK I remember reading about Hafez as a boy (yes, I read about the Middle East back @ PHS) he was a man that could be talked to, reasoned with. Maybe not with his people, but Henry Kissinger seemed to be able to reach Hafez al-Assad.
To be completely honest to my perspective on this situation I am going to share a little back-story. Hafez al-Assad “transform(ed) a Middle East backwater into an introverted regional power that endured as the center of unbending Arab hostility toward Israel”[1]
His people did not love Hafez. He was ‘The Butcher of Hama’ for his eradication of thousands of residents of Hama in February 1982 (just five years after we graduated). For the other side of the coin? Hafez was stopping an Islamic Fundamentalist insurgency (it was Islamic Fundementalists that attacked on 9/11). Least that is what his news agencies reported and what it looked like from the outside.
Here are thoughts, of Hafez, from Henry Kissinger;
"His tactic was to open with a statement of the most extreme position to test what the traffic would bear," Mr. Kissinger wrote in "Years of Upheaval," the volume of his memoirs published in 1982. "He might then allow himself to be driven back to the attainable, fighting a dogged rearguard action that made clear that concessions could be exacted only at a heavy price and that discouraged excessive expectations of them. (His negotiating style was in this respect not so different from the Israelis', much as both of them would hate the comparison.)"[2]
He could be negotiated with, reasoned with, talked to and progress could be made. If only that were true of his son, Bashar al-Assad we (America and the International Community) would not be boxed into the corner we are today.
.
I do not envy President Obama, today. If Romney had been elected, I would not envy a President Romney one bit less. This is a bramble bush wrapped in barbed wire, nothing less. Just by trying to help you are going to get hurt. We wouldn’t be America if we didn’t help a people oppressed by their leader. Though, on a personal note it would be nice to live in a world where America didn’t have to be spending trillions of dollars every year for military ‘assistance’ to one people or another. So long as we are in debt, Republicans will keep gutting programs for the least advantaged while cutting taxes for the wealthy… and buying lottery tickets every week. It is a vicious cycle, I know.
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(Flag of the National Ba Athist Party Syria)
Now, I was going to bring you a chart of the different ‘factions’ fighting in Syrian currently. Well, that just wasn’t going to get done today (5/4/13). So I am going to do my best to outline the major players, in Syria, so that you can get a better understanding of who is behind what. The first party were going to talk about, and one currently in power in Syria, is the Ba Athist party (Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party). The Ba 'Athist this party is “is an Arab nationalist ideology that promotes the development and creation of an Arab nation through the leadership of a vanguard party over a progressive revolutionary state. The ideology is officially based on the theories of Zaki al-Arsuzi (according to the pro-Syrian Ba'ath movement), Michel Aflaq and Salah al-Din al-Bitar.” [3]
Now, just so you have a really clear picture of the political environment currently in Syrian, here is a listing to the ‘Authorized’ political parties; Political parties and organizations
- National Progressive Front:
- Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party (governing party)
- Arab Socialist Movement
- Arab Socialist Union Party of Syria
- Syrian Communist Party (Khalid Bakdash faction)
- Syrian Communist Party (Yusuf Faisal faction)
- Social Democratic Unionists
- Socialist Unionists
- Democratic Socialist Unionist Party
- Arabic Democratic Unionist Party
- National Vow Movement
- Other Licenced parties (As 19 June 2012 ): [1]
- National Democratic Solidarity Party (Al Tadamon National Democratic Party)
- Syrian Democratic Party (Al Tadamon Arab Democratic Party)
- National Development Party
- Al-Ansar Party
- Democratic Al-Taliyeh Party (Al Talia'a Democratic Party)
- Al-Shabab Reform Party (National Youth for Justice and Development)
- Syrian Al-Shabab Reform Party (Syrian National Youth Party)
- Syrian Reform and Justice Party
- Syria Home (Souriya Al-Watan)
(Courtsey Wikipedia)
Yeah, right. As many parties as colors in the rainbow. But doesn’t this signal something? Doesn’t this signal a underlying problem with governance in Syria and the Syrian people? Happily, look at America, we have a two-party system. There are tertiary and and anciliary parties. We have; the tea party, the Libertarian party, the Green party and we also have the Independent party. Out of these, say, six partiesThe Independent party is the only one that made any real inroads in government governance at the federal level. Now compare those two major parties and one secondary party, and you still only have three.
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This clearly shows a very divided people in Syria. Now ,literally. for the past hundred years very intelligent men have been able to turn this divided people into an advantage for them politically. However, my money’s on the fact that time is coming into a quick end. And nation so bitterly divided and fragmented can be easily controlled via money and strong arm tactics. Now you understand the past hundred years of the nation of Syria.
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(A Map of Syria)
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For me, this is the mistake we made going into Iraq in the first place, we didn’t not understand the political environment we were injecting ourselves into. Let us at least, this time, go and with eyes wide open. In future articles I’m going to do my best to break down the most influential of the parties you see above, I will share that with you this next week. The Baathist party has been controlling Syria, and its people, since 1963. Prior to the 1960s bigotry will Syria rotated through 3 to 4 parties, which I will not really get into in these articles. It suffice to say that in the early 60s the back-office took control of the Syrian government and the Syrian people and they have had an iron like grip on this country and its people since.
There is a very old paradigm at play here, My Dear Readers, the Russians openly spoke of it… A fragmented people must be controlled by the heel of the boot. The only way you can make a people stop fighting each other is give them something to be more afraid of than their neighbor. Something I hope they never learn here in America. This tactic has been extremely successful for the Baathists in Syria for three generations. Honestly, if it were not for the Internet unlimited, and limited news sources, bloggers like myself, and a 20 4/7 365 new cycle. I’m not sure any of us would be talking or reading about the problem in Syria today.
It is coming clearly into focus, as of Friday, that the son of Hafez has made the ultimate mistake of not altering his tactics according to the times. Since the weekday new cycle stopped, and the weekend new cycle started; Pres. Obama has stated clearly American troops will not intervene in Syria, Israel has made select airstrikes on troops and ammunition leaving Syria for Hamas controlled Palestine.
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(Photo Courtesy of Foriegn Affairs.com)
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Let’s chew on that for just a moment. I have not turned on Fox news since Friday… But I’ll bet you a dollar to a nickel doughnut they are saying things to the effect of "President Obama has Israel doing his dirty work" or "Pres. Obama’s weakness is depending on Israel to do his job for him". Hogwash. Israel has made it clear, since probably 1980, anytime they see troops or munitions moving into the controlled areas they will destroy them. This is nothing new. This really isn’t news, but coming on the heels of serious civil war and that the arms were coming from Hamas Syria to Hamas’s Palestine that was all the Israeli government needed. Personally, I applaud Israel’s action.
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Earlier I referred to Syria as a bramble bush wrapped in bar wire. My Dear Readers, America's bound to get cut dealing with Syria. The only real question, My Dear Readers, is how bad America will get hurt. I hate to say this, I really do! .IMHO the least amount we can do to protect the Syrian people from their dictator is what to do. The threat of this conflict spreading out side their borders is greatly limited. Iraq is the largest bordering state to Syria to its east. Iraq is the most stable it’s been in a generation. We still have a strong presence in Iraq. The CIA is still very active in Iraq.
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Directly below Syria we have the great nation of Jordan. Sure it is not without its problems, but right now Jordan is quiet. The chances of the Ba 'Ahtist moving south into Jordan and flaming the fires of discontent there are slim-to-none. Below Syria to the southwest we have Israel. I think Friday’s action by Israel proves we have no real concern the Syrian conflict moving south to Israel.
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(Map courtsey BBC Showing Today's Flash With Isreal)
I feel for the people of Syria deeply, as we all should. Do I feel for the people of Syria to the tune of $1 trillion? Hell no! In the real estate game this would be called a money pit. There is no way America wants to get ankle or knee deep in this bloodbath. I stand behind Pres. Obama in exercising caution. Let’s face the fact we will never fully know what happened in Syria in the past two weeks. There will be many conflicting reports, coming from many many sources. The loudest voice, I fear, will be the darkest tale. My Dear Readers a chill runs up my spine when I sit here and try and imagine what these people are going through. But a chill also runs up my spine when I think of the 19 million Americans with less food this summer. 19 million Americans will be one step closer to starvation in the greatest nation on this planet. I am one of them.
Priorities, people! (In my best Dennis Hopper voice)
Thank you so much for coming by today. I hope you enjoyed this article today. I very much enjoyed bringing it to you. Look back later this week for more on the parties of Syria (like a root canal). And I look forward to seeing you here later this week.
UPDATE: As of 8PM Pacific time.
"Hundreds of Syrians have fled coastal areas where activists accuse government forces of carrying out massacres in a campaign of sectarian cleansing.
Footage of mutilated and burned bodies, allegedly from the town of Baniyas, have been posted online.
Activists said at least 77 people - 20 from the same family - were killed, a day after 72 died in nearby al-Bayda."
Thanks to BBC news web site.
The genocide continues in the coastal towns and cities. I will keep you informed. Thanks for coming by.
{ Be VERY careful 'Googling' the 'Free Syrian Army'... PLEASE! Reason; I have strong antivirus protection, a hardware firewall and a software firewall and run 256 bit encrypted browsers to view any sites. As well, I create a 'Virtual Machine' ANYTIME I start searching for news and information outside mainstream media. You MUST be so vigilant, too. There is a supposed 'Free Syrian Army' web site. I clicked on the link and within one second my alarms were going off like mad. Thankfully my CMOS machine speaker did not "Beep"... CMOS viruses can brick a tablet or computer faster than you can say "Oh, shit!" Stick to CNN, MSNBC (for open minded individuals). There is a really god source I LOVE to use: http://www.bbc.com/news/}
ENJOY!
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