Sometimes it takes a little fantasy to help us understand that the conflict between different religious beliefs in the East and the West has reached critical proportions
“Stretched across the vast ineptitude of my soul, I see the ever present temptation of resurrection. I can take no more of new beginnings. Can you not see how vague is our horizon? Doesn’t the glare of mankind’s failure wrench you from your thoughts of a better tomorrow? Glorious, my irascible Magic Genie brother, where are we in the cosmic theme of things? What is there left for us to do? Standing here on a transparent cloud of nature’s quirky design, what can we hope to find in the future? When will God tell us what to do?”
“My old friend Gali, my magical soul mate, my Magic Genie brother, you are as ever the old world philosopher. We can try again. We can search for a better time. We have less than nothing else to do. We can put our minds together and deduce a new beginning, if not at the very beginning, at least not at the end of humanity. Let’s meld our purpose and share the provisions of our hearts and minds to reinstate the possible. God will give us guidance.”
“I see nothing but shadows Glorious. My thoughts are too disheartened for a meeting of our minds to do any good. Woe is me, where has all the magic gone?”
“It has left us at the entranceway of a new beginning my dear friend Gali if we can only find our way. We must try again. It is God’s will.”
“But they are all gone Glorious, all our friends, their culture, their very humanity. We cannot expect to resuscitate civilization with our own shaky salvation.”
“ I guess Gali there is nothing left to do but have faith. What else is left to us?”
“Maybe you are right Glorious. What else can we do but have faith. I will try again with you. Come, join your thoughts with mine and we will try to begin again. Together we will resonate as one voice; one thought in our attempt with God’s help to resurrect humanity.”
“That’s the spirit Gali. After all, we are nothing if not free spirits.”
“This mind meld must be working Glorious. You are starting to sound like me.”
“And you Gali are starting to think like me. Isn’t it wonderful? Together we shall find the power for humanity’s salvation, and maybe even our own redemption. I can feel it, can’t you? The old magic is coming back. A new future is in the making. May we find a better way to be civilization’s guardians this time under God’s good grace. May we begin again.”
“Can you perceive it Glorious? Can you sense the strength returning to our spirit? Can you not see the vale of despair lifting? Where shall we start my old friend?”
“We must start before the final bombs fall Gali. We must go back in time. We must change the ending to find a new beginning.”
“I see, would that it were ever thus. Can we do this Glorious?”
“Do we have a choice Gali? “What are they waiting for?”
“They are waiting for final instructions Glorious. Here on the frozen Tundra of Siberia they are waiting for the command to let loose the final bombs that will end the world.
“Where will the orders come from Gali? What can we do to stop them? Why are they fighting?”
“They are fighting for different ways of life. They are fighting for religious principals. The orders will come from bunkers buried deep in the earth far from here where men of fanatical endeavor will give the orders. We can only stop them if we can show them that there is no one right way. We must show them that there has got to be a better way than destroying humanity to prove whose way is right. We must reinvigorate them with the possibility of a better tomorrow. We must give them hope Glorious. And we must do so quickly. Time my old friend is not on our side this day. We will have to split up. You must go to the West. I will go to the East. We must get them to stand down. Hurry, we are almost out of time. They are about to destroy the world. There will be nothing again - no humanity, no civilization, no hope for the future. I do not believe this is how God would have it.”
“How will I know what to say Gali?”
“Remember we are of one mind Glorious. We shall know each others thoughts. We shall speak as one mind. Hurry, we must find a better way. God will give us the words.”
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Excerpt - Husband Hunding
CHAPTER 8 – IF HE DOES CALL
OK so he called again. It took a week. He says he desperately wants to see you again. He can’t live without seeing you again. If this is how he reacts when he’s desperate can you image how long it’s going to take to get him to the alter? Be of good faith. These things take time. He is just moving more like an elephant than a tiger. You should have no trouble keeping up. Here’s what to do and what not to do on your second date.
• All the dos and don’ts from the first date are still in effect.
• Do not act like he is doing you a favor by asking you out again.
• Do act like you’re happy he did ask you out again.
• Don’t ask Mr. Coward why it took him so long to call.
• On the basis of your current history with him, don’t expect him to make the first move. He is not even sure why he called you again.
• Try and make him think this is a natural thing and help him to relax. He is not naturally an initiator of social interactions.
• What you want to accomplish on this date is to make him feel that this is the way things are supposed to be. He is supposed to want to be with you.
• At this stage don’t worry too much about frequency. It is going to take time to get him into the groove of dating you on a regular basis.
• Just to be safe, it’s OK to get Mr. Bravehart’s telephone number this time in case he loses his courage and you have to call him.
• Please try and remember that at this point he doesn’t know why he is dating you, but he is starting to get a nagging feeling that he is getting too involved.
• You must make him feel that this is natural – no big deal.
• Do not mention long-term commitments.
• Do not act too serious. Act like as much of a birdbrain as he is. This will make him relax. Then you can move in
… “No honey, I didn’t mean into his apartment. Take is easy. Don’t rush things.”
To find out more about Husband Hunting please leave your e-mail address in the comment section with a short message.
*****
Thanks,
Arthur Levine
OK so he called again. It took a week. He says he desperately wants to see you again. He can’t live without seeing you again. If this is how he reacts when he’s desperate can you image how long it’s going to take to get him to the alter? Be of good faith. These things take time. He is just moving more like an elephant than a tiger. You should have no trouble keeping up. Here’s what to do and what not to do on your second date.
• All the dos and don’ts from the first date are still in effect.
• Do not act like he is doing you a favor by asking you out again.
• Do act like you’re happy he did ask you out again.
• Don’t ask Mr. Coward why it took him so long to call.
• On the basis of your current history with him, don’t expect him to make the first move. He is not even sure why he called you again.
• Try and make him think this is a natural thing and help him to relax. He is not naturally an initiator of social interactions.
• What you want to accomplish on this date is to make him feel that this is the way things are supposed to be. He is supposed to want to be with you.
• At this stage don’t worry too much about frequency. It is going to take time to get him into the groove of dating you on a regular basis.
• Just to be safe, it’s OK to get Mr. Bravehart’s telephone number this time in case he loses his courage and you have to call him.
• Please try and remember that at this point he doesn’t know why he is dating you, but he is starting to get a nagging feeling that he is getting too involved.
• You must make him feel that this is natural – no big deal.
• Do not mention long-term commitments.
• Do not act too serious. Act like as much of a birdbrain as he is. This will make him relax. Then you can move in
… “No honey, I didn’t mean into his apartment. Take is easy. Don’t rush things.”
To find out more about Husband Hunting please leave your e-mail address in the comment section with a short message.
*****
Thanks,
Arthur Levine
Monday, June 1, 2009
Consumers Are Alive And Well And Hiding
Except for a small group of people – maybe five percent of the population – consumers are alive and well and spending about as much as they usually do, but they are hiding what they are doing from a critical and disgruntled public scared about high unemployment and a weak economy, and tired of being taken advantage of by the rich.
It has become fashionable to wear last years gown to the charitable ball, but that doesn’t mean the dowager in question doesn’t have the recently purchased latest in fashion from Paris sitting in her closet waiting for the appropriate opportunity. The problem is that when she finally wears the new frock, it may be next year, and last years gown that she is wearing.
Buying habits die hard. Yes there is much token switching from high price brands to private labels, and those that do buy new cars are opting in some cases for smaller and Ford or Toyota over Cadillac or Mercedes. The days of ostentatious show are over at least for a while.
Reminds me of many splendid villas in Mexico. What you see from the road is a crumbling gatehouse, but when you get past the high walls ad tall shrubs you will find a magnificent, freshly painted villa with tennis court and swimming pool and hordes of servants beckoning to the owners every whim.
The big spenders are still there. What has been eliminated is the fringe element that tried to live beyond their means with borrowed money. Those with inherited wealth are still spending just as they always were. They of course were never ostentatious about their spending habits to begin with. Their household checking accounts are not affected by reduced credit card debt limits, or a decline in the value of their multiple dwellings. As long as their monthly trust fund checks come in, they don’t care or count. They don’t have mortgages anyway.
The people who are really in the middle are the new middle class. They were squeezed by a past administration hell bent on favoring the rich and eliminating regulation, and now they are being over taxed and over regulated by a new administration hell bent on favoring the blue collar worker and the poor at their expense. They don’t know whether to try and maintain their spending habits to impress their neighbors or become frugal to save for the coming winter of their financial discontent.
Most people faced with these conflicting circumstances, and a faltering economy, are hiding what they spend. They don’t want the public to know that they are still all right economically lest the government try and take away what they have left in a massive redistribution of the wealth scenario.
It’s an economic and social anomaly brought on by the times we live in. The dream isn’t dead. It is only in hiding. Our innate desire to consume is still there. Our instincts are unchanged. We’re just scared, but we’re still big spenders. It’s our nature just like tax and spend is the government’s.
What are you hiding? Please remember to keep that forty-dollar pound box of chocolates in the back of the refrigerator, right next to the caviar and that special bottle of Champagne you’ve been hording for a special occasion, or the candies might melt. While you’re at it stop hiding that two hundred dollar pair of brand new running sneakers at the back of your closet. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Who are you running from – yourself?
*******
It has become fashionable to wear last years gown to the charitable ball, but that doesn’t mean the dowager in question doesn’t have the recently purchased latest in fashion from Paris sitting in her closet waiting for the appropriate opportunity. The problem is that when she finally wears the new frock, it may be next year, and last years gown that she is wearing.
Buying habits die hard. Yes there is much token switching from high price brands to private labels, and those that do buy new cars are opting in some cases for smaller and Ford or Toyota over Cadillac or Mercedes. The days of ostentatious show are over at least for a while.
Reminds me of many splendid villas in Mexico. What you see from the road is a crumbling gatehouse, but when you get past the high walls ad tall shrubs you will find a magnificent, freshly painted villa with tennis court and swimming pool and hordes of servants beckoning to the owners every whim.
The big spenders are still there. What has been eliminated is the fringe element that tried to live beyond their means with borrowed money. Those with inherited wealth are still spending just as they always were. They of course were never ostentatious about their spending habits to begin with. Their household checking accounts are not affected by reduced credit card debt limits, or a decline in the value of their multiple dwellings. As long as their monthly trust fund checks come in, they don’t care or count. They don’t have mortgages anyway.
The people who are really in the middle are the new middle class. They were squeezed by a past administration hell bent on favoring the rich and eliminating regulation, and now they are being over taxed and over regulated by a new administration hell bent on favoring the blue collar worker and the poor at their expense. They don’t know whether to try and maintain their spending habits to impress their neighbors or become frugal to save for the coming winter of their financial discontent.
Most people faced with these conflicting circumstances, and a faltering economy, are hiding what they spend. They don’t want the public to know that they are still all right economically lest the government try and take away what they have left in a massive redistribution of the wealth scenario.
It’s an economic and social anomaly brought on by the times we live in. The dream isn’t dead. It is only in hiding. Our innate desire to consume is still there. Our instincts are unchanged. We’re just scared, but we’re still big spenders. It’s our nature just like tax and spend is the government’s.
What are you hiding? Please remember to keep that forty-dollar pound box of chocolates in the back of the refrigerator, right next to the caviar and that special bottle of Champagne you’ve been hording for a special occasion, or the candies might melt. While you’re at it stop hiding that two hundred dollar pair of brand new running sneakers at the back of your closet. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Who are you running from – yourself?
*******
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