Revolting For The Sake Of It

Though its been a very long time since the publishing of the Danish cartoons, a relatively new documentary 'Why Democarcy - Is God Democratic' has sparked my interests in the close mindedness and extremism thats dominating peoples minds. Its being happening from time immemorial - prejudices, revolutions, anarchists, revolts...plain and simple terror. Whats new with whats happening now in Iran or, as this documentary traces back, in 2005 in Denmark & France? Its only going to get worse.

I cant help but scoffle at the so-called experts of religion who claim that they are being laughed at, at which I immediately thought this - if you provoke your people to resort to violent, bloody riots, setting embassies on fire and the likes and then accept no responsibility, it just makes us laugh at you; further more, when they CHOOSE which path, violent over non-violent, to retaliate because of their "hurt feelings", yes, then, we DO laugh at them. How about if they asked themselves - if we take to the streets peacefully (just as those in the book Im reading, countless examples in Naomi Klein's 'fences & windows'), we could get our point across, that we do not accept this insult.

Would they react the same way about Jesus, who is also a prophet like Mohammed? Favouritism perhaps?

A shocking retaliation was an iranian cartoon competition editor who said that the west would never accept cartoons on the holocaust, so why should we accept theirs.

Turns out the French were a step ahead, or the Danish newspaper, Im not sure. They were prepared to publish them and said ok listen so if we do it, you gotta let us as well, But the iranians didnt even get back to them; no holocaust no mohammed. I guess they just refused to budge.

Its scary actually, the world in which we live in - on one end, there are pressing matters for both the west and the east, regardless of creed, culture and religion. On the other end, people take such small matters and blow it out of propotion. Of course its a small issue, has someone murdered, took away their home/shelter, food and clothing, any dire urgent need to get out there and burn stuff. What rights have actually been violated? Its really simple, people can say what they want about what you believe, its in the end your choice to react or not and most times, reacting doesnt get your anywhere.

Im watching one person after another coming off as arrogant and believe it or not, insulting to the Danish journalist and it angers me. What gave them the right to say :

- 'which planet do you think you come from and you teach us' (the interivewer was just trying to find an active demonstrator and pressing this guy when he said he needed permission to get to one part of Iran)

- 'you take that back otherwise I walk away from the interview' (in reaction to the interviewer asking him if he feels responsible for the riots that took place)

Numerous other examples of this attitude.

MY favourite cartoon was mohammed standing up in the clouds looking down and telling his followers - dont send any more bombers, we're running out of virgins. LOL.

And its not just islam, its christanity too (though Im christian, Im leaning more and more towards being agnostic), watch 'Jesus camp' and tell me otherwise. Both religions are pushing kids on being religios militants, fighting for this god, for this salvation. Where will these people go at the end of time?

or allah for that matter!

We are now not allowed to

• poke fun
• criticize
• challenge idealogies

Its not just a limitation for media, artisit, filmmakes, dramatists, its for all people - freedom of speech. That right there is to dampen true democracy. No one and nothing can restrict that freedom. Now, people are just scared, if we say or publish or enact something and we have another Danish riot replay, why bother. Lets just stick to political correctness, of course we still believe in freedom but with limits. Soon we wont be allowed to eat pork cause it will offend some. We might have to watch how we dress, walk, talk...Im not one to walk on egg shells, I dont know about you!

Tranquil Waters & Crunchy Beach Sand

Its so hard to come by good beach poems. Im in the mood to drop by the beach but its raining outside and too cold to step out so I'll settle with a wonderful book and cuppa coffee...



Beachcomber - Robert William

When I have come with happy heart to sixty years and ten,
I'll buy a boat and sail away upon a summer sea;
And in a little lonely isle that's far and far from men,
In peace and praise I'll spend the days the Gods allow to me.
For I am weary of a strife so pitiless and vain;
And in a far and fairy isle, bewilderingly bright,
I'll learn to know the leap and glow of rapture once again,
And welcome every living dawn with wonder and delight.

And there I'll build a swan-white house above the singing foam,
With brooding eaves, where joyously rich roses climb and cling;
With crotons in a double row, like wine and honeycomb,
And flame trees dripping golden rain, and palms pavilioning.
And there I'll let the wind and wave do what they will with me;
And I will dwell unto the end with loveliness and joy;
And drink from out the crystal spring, and eat from off the tree,
As simple as a savage is, as careless as a boy.

For I have come to think that Life's a lamentable tale,
And all we break our hearts to win is little worth our while;
For fame and fortune in the end are comfortless and stale,
And it is best to dream and rest upon a radiant isle.
So I'll blot out the bitter years of sufferance and scorn,
And I'll forget the fear and fret, the poverty and pain;
And in a shy and secret isle I'll be a man newborn,
And fashion life to heart's desire, and seek my soul again.

For when I come with happy heart to sixty years and ten,
I fondly hope the best of life will yet remain to me;
And so I'll burn my foolish books and break my futile pen,
And seek a tranced and tranquil isle, that dreams eternally.
I'll turn my back on all the world, I'll bid my friends adieu;
Unto the blink I'll leave behind what gold I have to give;
And in a jewelled solitude I'll mould my life anew,
And nestling close to Nature's heart, I'll learn at last . . . to live.

Beach Sand - Raymond A. Foss

Maybe it is the memories
the change of pace that brings us there
the sense of vacation
maybe the smell of the place
the sights of the gulls, the dunes, the grasses
but oh it is the feel of it,
the crunch and slide of it
the feeling of beach sand
so different from dirt, soil, loam
no, not earthy, moist, rich,
but oh so granular and gritty
even when wet,
moveable paper spreading under toes
sliding beneath the soles
smoothing my skin
clearing my mind
unburdening me of the rest
drawing me to the tactile, the feel
of beach sand

Wear Sunscreen

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97.

Wear Sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idel Tuesday. Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself. Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year- olds I know still don't. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone. Mayber you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody's else's.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Dont' be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths. Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will Look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

- Anon

A Man, A Boy & A Donkey

An old man, a little boy, and a donkey were heading towards a faraway city. As they started off on their journey, after awhile, both the old man and the little boy got tired. So they both rode on the donkey at the same time.

As they passed the first village, people were looking at them with consternation, whispering to each other, "Look at how cruel that man and boy is, both riding the poor donkey, how tired that donkey must be". The old man felt ashamed, so he got down from the donkey and let the little boy ride on the donkey.

As they passed the second village, people were looking at them angrily, whispering to each other, "Look how disrespectful that boy is, riding on the donkey while the poor old man walked all this way on his own tired feet". Not wanting people to think ill of the little boy, the old man traded places, so that he rode on the donkey while the little boy walked on foot.

As they passed the third village, people were looking at them and frowned, whispering to each other, "Look how irresponsible that old man is, riding on the donkey while the poor little boy walked all this way on his tired little feet". Having gotten enough of the villagers' criticisms, both the old man and the little boy walked on their own, with their donkey following behind them.

Their walk was long, their shoes became torn and worn, their clothes dusty and dirty. Both looked very tired and are about to pass out at any moment. When they finally reached the city, people were looking and laughing at them and smirking, whispering to each other, "Look at the two foolish beggars, they have a donkey and yet do not ride it..instead of riding the donkey to save themselves some energy, they are suffering because of their foolishness."

- Anon

After A While

After a while – Veronica Shoffstall

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
And company doesn’t always mean security
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts
And presents aren’t promises
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes ahead with the
Grace of a woman, not the grief of a child
And you learn to build all your roads on today
Because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.

So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
That you really are strong
And you really do have worth
And you learn
And you learn
With every goodbye you learn.

Maura’s Vista

This is a poem I wrote long long back:


Maura’s Vista

Weeping frozen flowers on the vine
Reality jostles the roots every time
Sitting here toying with her insanities
Face gazing up to a rainy sky
Razor cold drops fall on wings that wish to fly
Zephyr brushes, eliminating all past fantasies
Her pale visage kneels transcending all past secrecies
Web of lies round and round it spins
Entangling her weakened limbs
Immobilized, a drone is he? A drone is she?
Troublesome daily dreams spelling future’s obscurity
Shadows no longer scared of the brightness
Wrapped in a shroud of deafening silence
Uncontrollable desires bursting forth
Sweltering lust lavished upon two souls
Innocence challenged by flamed senses
Motionless, they’re minds pauses?
Extremes of passion rules over mind
Lost in rapturous moments, divine
Realm of lust and love combined
Bodies, mind, tangled ivy intertwined
Messages come unenlightened as both are
Irreversible roots planted, they’ve come this far
Moral sense allergic to hypocrites
God playing with two hearts
Reckless roulette.

...Wherever You Are IS 1st Class

Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have.

"Wow, this girl in my office is a real looker. But it's not her Wynona Rider features that got me. I'm crazy about her because she's also understanding, intelligent, tender - so many things that my spouse is not."

Somewhere along the way, you'll find a woman or a man who will be more charming or sensitive. More alluring. More thoughtful. Richer. Have greater sex appeal.

And you will find a woman or man who will need you and pursue you and go loco over you more than your spouse ever did.

Because no wife or husband is perfect. Because a spouse will only have 90% of what you're looking for. So adultery takes place when a husband or wife looks for the missing 10%.

Let's say your wife is melancholic by nature. You may find yourself drawn to the pretty clerk who has a cherry laugh no matter what she says: "I broke my arm yesterday, Hahahaha . . ." Or because your wife is a homebody in slippers and pajamas, smelling of garlic and fish oil, you may fall for a fresh-smelling young sales representative that visits your office in a sharp black blazer, high heels, and a red pencil-cut skirt.

Or because your husband is the quiet type, your heart may skip a beat when you meet an college flame who has the makings of a talk show host.

But wait! That's only 10% of what you don't have. Don't throw away the 90% that you already have! That's not all. Add to your spouse's 90% the 100% that represents all the years that you have been with each other. The storms you have weathered together.
The unforgettable moments of sadness and joy as a couple. The many adjustments you have made to love the other. The wealth of memories that you've accumulated as lovers.

Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. But faithfulness happens when you start thanking God for what you already have.

But its not just talking about marriage.

I'ts about life!

About jobs.

About our friends.

About our children.

About our lifestyles.

Are you like the economy airline passenger that perennially peeks through the door of the first class cabin, obsessed with what he's missing?
"They have got more leg room! Oh my, their food is served in porcelain! Wow, their seats recline at an 80% angle and they've got personal videos!"

Guaranteed you'll be miserable for the entire trip!

Don't live your life like that.

Forget about what the world says is first class.

Do you know that there are many first class passengers who are miserable in first class -- because they're not riding in a private Jet?

The message:

If you start appreciating what you have right now, wherever you are IS first class!

- Anon

8th Sign Of The Zodiac

...SCORPIO...

Scorpio, The Eighth Sign Of The Zodiac, Is Best Characterized By Passion, Intensity, And Emotionality. You Are Considered The Most Powerful And Extreme Sign Of The Zodiac, Because You Deal With The Process Of Fundamental Transformation On All Levels. Pluto Is Your Ruler, Scorpio, And Is Known As The Planet Of Permanent Change And Transformation. It Is Also Associated With Sex, The Life Cycle Of Birth And Death, And Regeneration.

You Are The Second Of The Three Water Signs. Pluto’s Influence Makes You A Charismatic, Yet Enigmatic Person. While You May Appear Serene On The Surface, You Contain A Magnetic Intensity And Powerfully Hypnotic Personality, Belied Only By A Penetrating State Of Deep Intelligence.

Scorpio, You Rule The Eighth House Of The Chart, Which Is Associated With Other People’s Money, Possessions, And Values, As Well As Wealth Received Through Inheritance; It Also Describes How And To What Extent We Commit, And Bond With Our Partner, Both On A Sexual And Emotional Level.

Yours Is A Fixed Sign Which Means That You Are Steadfast In Adversity. Once You Put Your Mind To Something, You Display Self-Discipline And Staying Power. You Work Stoically To Achieve Your Goals – No Matter The Cost!

Scorpio Rising, You Have A Kind Of Autonomy That No Other Ascendant Seems To Have. You Are Willing To Risk Your Life In Order To Accomplish Your Goals. You Pursue Your Objectives With A Tremendous, Fixed, Emotional Intensity, And Are Able To Draw On Hidden Sources Of Power.

You Try To Always Be In Control Of Situations So That You Don’t Need To Depend On Anyone. You Avoid Feeling Vulnerable At Any Price! Your Obsession With Staying On Top Of Everything Becomes A Passionate Battle For Power.

While You May Appear Composed And Self-Possessed On The Surface, You Contain A Charismatic Intensity And Mesmerizing Personality Beneath The Surface, Much Like An Active Volcano Before Eruption. It’s Very Hard For Others To Resist You, When You Want To Draw Them Into Your Net, Because Of Your Mysterious Magnetism.

Your Universe Is Infinite, Deep, And Spiritual, And People Who Decide To Venture Into It, Can’t Help But Being Touched By Its Unfathomable Atmosphere. However, Your Universe Is Not A Trap; It Is Rather A Way For You To Share An Intensely Emotional Experience. Yet, Your Intimate World Is Not Easy To Reach, Because It Is Hidden And Secret. If Someone Wants To Explore And Discover It, They Need To Put A Lot Of Effort, Intensity, And Time Into It.

Your Life-Path Number Is Probably The Most Influential Numerological Aspect To Be Considered And Represents Who You Are At The Time Of Birth. It Indicates Specific Traits And Will Likely Be Active And Influential Throughout Your Lifetime. It Is The Overall Number That Determines Much Of What Will Be Important To You And How You Will Handle Things As They Come.

If Your Life-Path Number Is FIVE, A Love Of Sensation And Adventure Will Likely Be Prominent For You. FIVE’S Are Very Social And Enjoy Fun-Loving Light-Hearted Company As Opposed To Serious Philosophical Conversation. The Average FIVE Is Not Too Worried About Tomorrow But Is Generally Happy Go Lucky. However, While Laughter May Be The Drug Of Choice, Many FIVE’S Spend Time Searching For The Answers To Life’s Questions.

Those With A FIVE Life-Path Are Usually Very Versatile And Progressive. Freedom And Independence Are Of The Utmost Importance. As A FIVE, You Will Want To Go About Life Completely Unrestrained And Will Abhor Routine. Your Need For Stimuli And Adventure Won’t Tolerate Repetitive And ‘Boring’ Work. Key Qualities For A FIVE Life-Path Number Are Expansiveness, Vision, Adventure, The Constructive Use Of Freedom.

Your Bright Red Comb Frightens Bad Spirits Away In Chinese Tradition. Protected From Them, You Don't Hesitate Parading Around Ostentatiously In Public. Hungry For Honors And Medals, You Love To Be Recognized For Your Talents At Their Just Value And To Be Congratulated In All Circumstances. Spiteful People Who Criticize You Quickly Get Clawed Because You Hate Being Criticized.

Your Best Quality Is Your Frankness. You Always Say What You Think Even At The Risk Of Hurting Those Close To You. Yet You Always Hide Your Real Feelings Out Of An Extreme Sense Of Propriety Because You Can't Stand People Meddling In Your Affairs. In Public, You Are A True Rooster: An Extravagant Dandy Who Is Curious About Everything, You Strut Down The Street - A Smooth Talker Who Loves To Be The Center Of Attention. You Will Happily Spend Hours Before The Mirror To Admire Your Wonderful, Flamboyant Feathers. But Your Attention To Detail And Perfectionist Nature Sometimes Make You Forget The Essential.

A Loyal And Courageous Friend, You Don't Hesitate Attacking If You Need To Defend Them, Even If The Battle Seems Lost In Advance. You Respect The Rules Whatever Happens Because You Are A Real Conformist. Your Fault: You Are Somewhat Narcissistic And Pedantic.

As An Analytical Type, You Don't Want To Be Limited By Established Rules And Regulations. Your Inquisitive Nature Demands That You Sometimes Question Authority. Otherwise, You Might Not Be Able To Find Fresh Approaches, Or Come Up With New Solutions To A Problem. It's Not That You Act Without Weighing The Pros And Cons Of A Situation — It's More That You're More Willing Than Others To Take Justifiable Risks If They'll Further Your Career Success.

You're Smart Enough To Know When You Need Help And Are Confident Enough In Your Abilities To Ask For It. You Understand That Sometimes There Are No Clear Right And Wrong Answers, And That's Just Fine With You Because You Tolerate Gray Areas Better Than Most. In Fact, Pondering Potential Outcomes Can Sometimes Be More Interesting Than Coming Up With The Definitive Solution For You.

Your Right Job Doesn't Have To Be About Self-Expression, But It Needs To Be A Job You Can Be Proud Of.