The Times They Are A Changing

I apologize ahead of time for this short blog post. I usually like to write posts that will offer some new information or idea to readers. My husband had back surgery on Monday and I have been running in and out of the house to the hospital to spend most of the day with him. I even forgot to feed the dog one day - she was not very happy with me. The house looks like a whirl wind went through it, but I did manage to get a load of dishes in the dishwasher this morning.

Anyway, I did bring him home yesterday afternoon. He’s still in a lot of pain and because we don’t have that nice hospital bed, I’m having to feed him and do most everything else. As well as sleeping on the sofa while he sleeps in the downstairs bed - not very comfortable. And getting up several times during the night to give pain medication to him. If all of this sounds like complaining, believe me, it is not. I love him more than any other person on earth and would do this a thousand times over and more, with out a second thought.

So, I hope I will have a more thought out and interesting post tomorrow. All of you have a wonderful Halloween.

When I take a few steps back and look at the Iraq war, I think it seems awfully barbaric in this day and age to be killing each other over our disagreements. I know that the word “disagreement” seems soft in the light of what we perceive as something that might end up in world disaster, however, I will use that word just as a placeholder for all wars for all different reasons. But, you must agree that it does seem like we could find a better way by now. If you think about it, most of us don’t live within a violent life day in and day out. Oh, I know there are some, but not most of us. So, when you think of our young men and women being thrown into situations of killing and being killed, it just feels strange and almost unworldly.

I do think that with this war it almost disappears for us much of the time, especially as the presidential campaign busied us full force on the TV. And then, of course, the housing market and economic downturn has kept us pretty stressed out. We’ve all but forgotten about our own people being shot and killed for - what reason was it again?

If you are old enough to have lived during the Viet Nam War you remember seeing body bags containing dead soldiers coming home, depicted on the evening news (every day). We’d get a count of how many Viet Cong we had killed and a lesser amount of how many of us they had downed. Of course, the numbers never made sense and I guess we killed every North Vietnamese several times over by our military count. I’m not sure I cared about their numbers at the time, but the visual of those body bags remains burned into my memory (forever).

Isn’t it interesting that we have no such visuals with this war? Who has censored our nightly news and American press? Is it the current president and his administration? And we also haven’t heard much from McCain or Obama on the subject, except for McCain saying we’d be in Iraq for another hundred years.

This all came to my thoughts yesterday when I read a post by a blogger who also included a video of McCain when he was very young and in the military - in Viet Nam. This blogger questioned McCain’s validity regarding his torture as a POW. He questioned if he didn’t receive his injuries in some other way. I cautioned him to be careful. I explained how “we” made a big mistake during the Viet Nam War by blaming the soldiers that were forced to go as much as we did our own government for such a war. I won’t judge McCain in any way about this issue other than to be appreciative of his service. This generation has not experienced a war draft and so this war does make it different in that respect. However, it also seems that the young men and women who have willingly joined, can’t seem to get out and are sent back over again and again - how is that right?

The video definitely got me thinking about the war of my generation, but what prompted me to write this post today was this morning’s newspaper. His name was Cody Eggleston and he died from injuries from fighting in Iraq. And he grew up right here in Central Oregon where I live. In fact, right in the rural complex of Crooked River Ranch, where I live. Do we only hear about the deaths when they are local? It seems like it is so. So this post is for Cody. Thank you for your service, thank you for your bravery. You are not forgotten and your life did matter. It mattered immensely.

I’m back on trying to figure out how others get so much traffic on their blog. There are hints here and there, but I think the secrets of those receiving hundreds and even thousands of unique hits to their blogs is a secret not easily found. There are a lot of people that just want to tell you to write “good blogs” and the people will come. I don’t think that is nearly enough to bring traffic to your blog. I’ve learned to look at Google Trends to see what others are surfing for the most for a particular day. Not always helpful as I want to write about things that interest me and what the latest movie star is doing - doesn’t. So, how do we get blog traffic exchange that is acceptable?

Also, putting your post through Google Adwords helps to get the common words and phrases people use when looking up your subject matter. I believe the rule is to put the most popular word or phrase in your title, in your first paragraph and then three times more throughout your post. If you use it too much apparently the search engines see it as spam and you get thrown out.

Then there are the traffic exchange sites. The only advise I can give on those is that you don’t want to use the commercial sites that only show other commercial sites and not blog sites. The blog traffic exchange sites I’ve found so far are:

Entrecard
Linkreferral
BlogAdvance
BlogClicker
Blogwhale
BlogMastermind
Blogpixel
Blogexplosion
Blogsoldier

I’m sure there are plenty more. What I don’t understand is what makes one site acceptable and others not acceptable.

On today.com the top two sites have thousands of hits each day. Even to get several hundred a day seams a mystery. I’ve looked at the sites. I don’t see anything special about the posts. Sometimes they aren’t even very good. So, they must be getting traffic in some manner that is acceptable to Today or other network blog sites, but not because they are writing exceptional posts. What is the answer? Again, I vow to keep looking and report anything I learn. If there is anything you can share, please leave me a message and I will check it out and add it to my next post about blog traffic exchange.

Looking back, I feel like I’ve spent most of my life just trying to stay afloat. Oh sure, I kept looking for the avenue where I fit in, where I was supposed to be, but always settled. What I mean by “settled” is that I took jobs that would bring in the living wage. Doesn’t sound so bad does it? It’s what most people do. But, it always felt like I was sacrificing my true self. I mean I always had to hide away parts (most) of myself in order to fit into the status quo of what ever job environment I was in. And so I just felt stifled most of my life. I wonder is there anyone else out there that felt as I did? I’m sure there was and must also still be now, yet it never felt like it.

I always envied people that had jobs they loved. They went to work everyday, in fact couldn’t wait to get to work, and stayed long hours because they loved it so much. Why wasn’t I able to do that, to find a fit for my own niche?

Yes, I do believe we each have a path to follow. I also believe the path has many side paths. And, I’m getting smarter as I get older. At a younger age it seemed I had forever to figure it all out. Now at 55, I don’t feel I have the luxury of dallying any more. I don’t want to waste this lifetime. Life seems too hard to have to come back over and over to accomplish the same ends. Mostly my life as I see it, has been a search for the truth. Not an easy thing to decipher here on planet earth. Yet, I’ve had experiences that given be some certainties. This is what I know for sure:

* We all form some sort of addiction that gets us through life. (For some the addiction is as simple as their religious beliefs that they can’t or won’t ask questions of. Or for others it could be as big as a drug addiction or sexual addiction).

* There is life after death. (I’ve left my body, had my mother come back from the dead to ask my forgiveness, visited my dead father)

* We exist in some kind of formula of reincarnation. (after a lot of contemplation, it’s the only thing that makes sense to me. What God lets one person be a blond, beautiful rich singing star and another person be a starving, raped child in an African country with death all around her and give them each only one life?)

* Our lives have purpose. ( Not what you think. I don’t think our purpose is to be as “good” as we can and then go to heaven. I see us more as like the nerves in our fingers. As if we were God’s finger nerves. I know that sounds funny. But, I think we are experiencing life as God is not able to and he/she benefits and becomes even more by our experiences. I think we agree to a certain path and to experience certain things before we enter a life. We are here as much for God’s benefit as for our own. How you experience and how you think and react to a situation is different than any other person, ever).

Well, because I’m still here (although I’ve had some near misses) I must still have more to do, more to experience and more to figure out. Oh, and I am doing more of what I love to do every day. I know now that what you love is what you need to be pursuing in life as it is the clues that we often ignore. Most importantly, we need to find confidence that we won’t starve to death or become homeless by following what we love. Oh, and doesn’t it seem as though there is more than one thing to follow that you love? So, maybe there’s more than one choice for a career that will work for each of us. We may love to sing, but never have that unique voice that will make us a star, yet we can find a career singing and still make a living. Or we may also love art or science and find careers in those areas that we love. I didn’t have to be a secretary all my life, but what if that experience and learning that I didn’t have to do that was what I agreed to do before I came into this life. Nothing is simple, is it?

Just remember, there are sign posts all along the way. If may feel like we are just plunked down here with no guide book, but it’s not true. We just need to be open to them, look around and they will appear.

Of all the “other” presidential candidates, Ralph Nader is the most well known. What ever opinion you have of him, good or bad, you have to admit his tenacity as a consumer advocate. And, you have to admit that he has made a difference in all of our lives. Perhaps Ralph Nader will never become president, but his name has and will continue to be a historical figure as a candidate and a man for the people.

Ralph Nader
Peace Party
Occupation: Consumer Advocate
Education: Princeton University (BA), Harvard University (LLB)
Prior Governmental Experience: 1960s in U.S. Department of Labor

Nader entered politics to challenge to challenge the system. He has consistently remained at approximately 6% of national polls with many more pledging their support if he were competitive (probably meaning if he ran under one of the major parties).

In the past, he has been responsible for the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the Freedom of Information Act. In more recent times, he secured inexpensive, generic AIDS medication for India.

He feels that neither major party presidential candidate, Obama or McCain will challenge the corporate political establishment (in place since the ’80s). He says that’s why there has been no debate about our huge defense budget, the ever worsening war in Afghanistan, policies toward Iran or Russia or the Israel/Palestine problem, the living wage, a wind and solar power built economy. (Instead, especially towards the end of the campaign they’ve chosen to attack each other).

Peace Party

This party and Ralph Nader believe that Corporate America has too much power. They are in business for power and money, nothing more. In fact, Corporate executives can be sued by their stockholders if they sacrifice profit for public good. Because of this the public falls farther and farther behind while the economy grows (who is getting all of that money? And, of course, now the bubble has burst - yet our government throws more money at these companies).

The U.S. Government is broken. It was promised that the war would come to an end when the Democratic Party took over Congress in 2006. They promised to stop the violation of the American’s civil liberties put in place by Bush and a whole bunch of other things that they have not done. The major parties take your vote for granted. Unless the American people reach deep down inside and vote for what’s right instead of what is the least of the worst (Obama or McCain), they won’t send the message needed to take their country back from the big corporations. Vote for Ralph Nader and make a difference.

In researching presidential candidates from “other” parties, I came across the Pacific Green Party. I hadn’t heard of this one before. Cynthia McKinney is running under this party. She’s had some experience in the U.S. Congress, so thought she would be worth looking at.

Cynthia McKinney
Pacific Green Party
Occupation: Global Human Rights and Peace Activist, Public Speaker, lecturer and researcher.
Education: University of Southern California (BA), Fletcher School of Law (Masters), University of California, Berkeley (Doctoral Program - current).
Governmental Experience: Six terms in U.S. Congress, 2 terms in Georgia General Assembly.

In the U.S. Congress, McKinney authored legislation for:

* the elimination of federal subsidies for corporations taking jobs out of the country

* a national livable wage

* a repeal of the Military Tribunals Act

* national forest protection and restoration

* impeachment of Bush, Cheney and Rice.

Pacific Green Party

“Pacific Greens are not right nor left, but forward.”
The wish to decentralize political and economic power as well as work for peace, justice, human equality and ecological sustainable society. Their criticism of the current Democrat and Republican parties is that the Democrats could have ended the war by refusing to fund it. Their action could not have been vetoed by Bush. With their refusal to act they clearly stated along with the Republicans in office that the two are united in continuing the Iraq ware indefinitely.

The Pacific Green Party supports: ending the war, protection of the earth’s natural resources, revamping the tax structure to counter the gap between the rich and the poor, providing free health care.

They stand for: ecological wisdom, nonviolence, sustainability, grassroots democracy, decentralization, community-based economics, personal and global responsibility, social and economic justice.

In taking a look at the “other” presidential candidates, the second in my series is Bob Barr running for office under the Libertarian party. I have heard of this party and always thought it to be along the lines of conservatism but with some twists. So, let’s take a look and see what this candidate and his party are all about.

Bob Barr
Occupation: Attorney
Education: Georgetown University of Law, University of California and finished with an MA at George Washington University.
Prior Governmental Experience: U.S. House of Representatives (Georgia Congressman)

He says he will “work tirelessly to cut taxes, reduce government spending and restore our civil liberties lost during the Bush administration.” He will work for the American people, not the American government.

Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party is the third largest party after the Republican and Democrat Parties. They are working hard to be included in presidential debates. (It does seem to me that all candidates should be included in the presidential debates, what is anyone afraid of, that one of the “other” party candidates might be a better choice?) They would like way less Federal government and for the local government to handle more than they do now, so that the country is governed by the people (so they are heard).

They want to put a quick end to the Iraq war, foreign involvement and the national debt. Completing those ends, they would go on to tackle healthcare, retirement funds and federal government over regulation, leaving the federal government mostly to national defense.

The Libertarian take a strong stand on American property rights and don’t think the government should be able to take (or control) property away from citizens. They believe the government should not be able to harm the earth over “political” views. As for abortion or gay rights, they believe to each his own. They believe that there should be a separation between school and government with perhaps vouchers following the child to the parental school of choice. So, your tax dollars go with your child, not to a school system.

Hmm, doesn’t sound so conservative after all, perhaps the Libertarian party requires we take another look if some of these ideas hit home for you.

I was reading my voter pamphlet booklets this morning and was interested to read about the candidates we never hear about. Those that are running under “other” parties than the Republican or Democrat parties. Ralph Nader is running again, under the Peace party. However, there are people and some parties I’d never heard of before. I thought it would be interesting and perhaps even helpful, to some, to take a look at these candidates and their parties. Today, we’ll start with the Constitution party and their candidate, Chuck Baldwin.

Chuck Baldwin
Presidential Candidate: Constitution Party
Occupation: Crossroad Baptist Church Pastor (in Pensacola, Florida)
And talk show host for the Chuck Baldwin Live Show

Education: Masters Degree
Midwestern Baptist College
Christian Bible College

Government Experience: Taxpayer and voting citizen

His statement, if I would be so bold as to paraphrase, says he would have the country cut down the Federal Government to an original constitution established size. He would like us all to get a hold of a copy of the constitution and read it.

As president, here are a few of the things he would do starting on his first day in office:

* bring troops home from Iraq, Afghanistan and 130 other countries in which they are located
* restore medical care to veterans
* “pull the plug on the unaffordable American Empire”
* restore silver and gold backed money
* work against budget and trade deficits
* secure our borders
* end benefits to illegal aliens
* end the export of U.S. jobs and get rid of NAFTA and GATT
* end our membership in the U.N.
* protect our citizen’s right to arms

What is the Constitution Party

In a nutshell, this party seems to be religious bent. The party wishes you to join them in “honoring God, defending the family, and seeking to restore our Republic.” The party is pro-life. They believe in self-government (that is not to say complete government of the self) by way of the 10 commandments of the Bible. They feel the government should protect the authority of the family (and I think they see the father as the head of that family). They believe in limited local government and Federal government jurisdiction to the area (per their interpretation) specifically stated within the U.S. Constitution. And, they are against the U.S. being a member of the United Nations and be committed to the protection of our borders - alone.

There you have it. Does this resonate with you? Then perhaps the Constitution Party is for you and closer to your belief system than either the Democrat Party or the Republican Party. Perhaps your vote will go to Chuck Baldwin for President.

Ethanol Fuel - what is it and who‘s mind process thinks ethanol production is a good idea?

If you see a car with a funny looking device on the back of it, it may be an ethanol running vehicle. The device is a flex-fuel designator which allows it to run on regular gas as well.

Ethanol is a biofuel which is a term used to describe any number of the new fuels coming out that are plant based renewable energy source. Ethanol, is no doubt, the biofuel you’ve heard the most about lately. It is constructed primarily of corn. However, some other countries have produced it with a base of sugar cane.

You have to wonder, though, how long a fuel made of a food matter can continue. As our economy continues in a down turn, food prices continue to sour (I think I’m paying about double at the grocery store as I did last year) and world hunger, won’t corn go up in price? Cattle and other animals we eat are fed corn and let’s not forget that people eat corn in many forms in many countries. If ethanol production is increased to the point of replacing or at least greatly reducing our need for foreign oil, in spite of our independence, won’t we just insert a whole new problem into our society? One without any corn to eat, will have to be replaced by something else.

And really, isn’t the production of ethanol fuel using coal, natural gas, and electricity (producing greenhouse gasses). And the production of ethanol actually puts as much carbon dioxide emissions into our air as fossil fuel production. In turn, we continue to increase global warming.

How can Ethanol fuel be the answer to our foreign fuel dependence when it continues to reek havoc with our earth’s bio-system? Of course vehicles and machinery running on water is not the answer as we can all see where that would go. But, a fuel made from garbage that wouldn’t hurt the environment when it was burned, now that would be a true answer.

Herbs have been used as a natural way of healing for eons, maybe since the beginning of time. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to be more involved in a natural life style, but until now you were too busy or didn’t know where to start. Or, maybe you’ve taken my earlier advise and started a back yard or community (Freedom) garden.

maybe you are even planning on selling some of your produce from your vegetable garden next year and would like to add something unusual to your tomatoes, beans and squash. Making a one pot medicine her garden would make a good product, but don’t forget to make markers for the herbs so the purchaser will know which is which. Write your own little booklet on how to care for or use the herbs and you will have a complete product. The herbs can also be sold dried with explanations on an attached card of how to use each.

Here’s a list of what to grow.

Angelica - may be used as a tea (infusion) which improves circulation and energy. It is an antibacterial and antifungal.

Sweet Basil - may be used as a tea to help with digestion.

Calendula - make as you would a tea and use as a mouthwash for sensitive or sore gums.

Catnip - may be used as a tea to relieve fever and cold symptoms. It is mildly sedative.

Chamomile - may be used as a tea to aid in sleep and digestion.

Coriander - the leaves can be chewed to relieve an upset stomach. It has a mild sedative quality.

Feverfew - migraine headaches can be relieved by eating 3 to 5 leaves per day.

Hyssop - make a tea for relief of colds, flu or sore throat.

Purple Coneflower - may be used as a tea to help stimulate the immune system.

St. Johns Wart - may be used as a tea for depression or as a mild sedative.

Thyme - may be used as a tea to help sore throats (add some honey) or hangovers.

This is a good start, but probably more than you would want to include in one large medicine herb pot. Perhaps choosing five herbs for each container if you are selling them would be enough.