Okay. Seems no one else is going to say it, so I may as well. Rachel Maddow is bound by certain rules of conduct, and I, too, want to keep the discourse from devolving to certain levels. I believe, Mike Adams at naturalnews.com is hinting at it, too. Therefore, I’ll share a link to his site to help you as you make your decision for this year’s presidential election.

Mike’s article is entitled “How to spot a sociopath…“

As you read, ask yourself: Does this remind me of anyone who is running for office?

For a little help with the quiz, check out this video:

Okay, I haven’t posted in a while as I’ve been busy releasing a new product for my company. In the middle of all this writing and editing, however, a fellow webmaster, Winston Wu, over at HappierAbroad.com, sent me an email about an issue involving free speech, forum rules of conduct, and banning violators on his website. So, I thought I’d share my opinion with you, too:

Hey Winston,

Very interesting posts in that thread.

ONE:

Personally, I’m a dictator at heart. (I’d like to think I’m a benevolent one, though).

However, anyone who uses foul language in an email to me is removed from my list. There’s no 3 strikes here. You’re simply out. That’s just me. I have certain standards of behavior that I don’t compromise. (On the internet, what you say is your  behavior”)

Example:
I have a free, donate-if-you-wish website, called https://www.freesummerconcerts.com that, for the past 7 years has provided a compilation of all the free events in NY via weekly email. People donate hundreds of dollars each summer for the convenience. A fellow recently joined my list and wrote an email to me (editing is mine):

“Why would I pay for this s–t that’s free everywhere else? “

He was removed from my list. No need for me to put up with this. I won’t do it for money. I certainly won’t do it “for free.”
[Voice of Seinfeld’s “soup Nazi”: “No emails for you!”]

TWO:

In my opinion, people have misinterpreted the concept of free speech.

1. First of all, just because speech is “free,” doesn’t mean anyone is interested in what you have to say. :-)

2. Secondly, just because speech is “free,” doesn’t mean you need to share, or share what you want to say in an offensive way.  While our society may have accepted lewdness and crassness as simply an expression of “free speech,” I believe there are still commonly agreed-upon practices of civil interaction, that are necessary to enforce to avoid devolving as humans.

3. Thirdly, but, most importantly, As far as the American model is concerned, “free speech” simply means there are no laws on the books that will be used to punish you–and for a country ostensibly governed by the “rule of law” that’s a good thing. HOWEVER, freedom of speech does NOT mean you have freedom from consequences. The universe is governed by the law of cause and effect. Just because you are legally protected, doesn’t mean there are no consequences to your behavior.

On a spiritual level, free speech is not free of consequences.  Negative energy breeds itself and, as one of your members predicts, bad behavior may ultimately have a negative effect on the mood and mission on the Happier Abroad site.

On a practical, day-to-day level, free speech is also not free of consequences. People will react and respond and there are consequences. Oprah had the freedom to say on her show that everyone should become vegetarian. There were consequences.  She was sued by the meat lobby.

Rush Limbaugh had the freedom to say on his show what he did about Sandra Fluke, etc..etc..you get my point

That’s my opinion. Ban ’em all!!!

What do you think? Post a comment below!

“Saipan??? 87% voted for Republican Mitt Romney??? Isn’t that the place Walt Goodridge escaped the rat race to? Isn’t that the paradise island for which he offers tours on his Discover Saipan website? Isn’t that the island where garment factories existed and about which Walt wrote in his groundbreaking book Chicken Feathers and Garlic Skin: Diary of a Chinese Garment Factory Girl on Saipan (co-authored with Chun Yu Wang)?? How can that be?” Yes, I can hear the questions coming.

Well, I know much better than to get into a political discussion. However, what I will say is that the word “republican” and even the word “democrat” don’t mean quite the same things as they do on the US mainland. Hard to understand, I know, so here’s what we’ll do. Ask your questions in the comment box below, and I promise you you’ll hear from Saipan residents and others who can explain what is actually happening here. Things are not always as clear cut as they may seem…

Reports out of Wall Street indicate that many people are convinced that cell phone communication during today’s shut down of the stock market were blocked.

The police, once believed to be there to “serve and protect” are discovered to be tools of the 1% when they raid and pillage the Occupy encampments and attack the protesters.

Paypal, once believed to be an independent, autonomous, non-political entity reveals itself to be a government tool in their freezing of Wikileaks’ account.

Politicians, once believed to be elected by and there to serve the interests of the electorate, are shown to act outside of the law and are reigned in by the courts as acting unconstitutionally.

The irony of these various acts of suppression by the forces that seem is that they increase the very sense of frustration that sparked the uprising.  

The alleged collusion on the part of cell phone companies, the police, the mainstream media, Paypal (and other companies), as well as  the politicians, identifies them as “the enemy.” The growing sense that there’s nowhere to turn, and no other alternative but all-out revolution simply grows.  

I’m very fortunate to be here in New York–ground zero of the Occupy Wall Street Uprising, and the flashpoint of the global day of protest. I’m glad to be witness, participant and documentarian of this insurgency, protest and revolution in thought and action. It’s exciting, encouraging, and inspiring!

Part of my support is simply adding my blog voice to the throngs. Here are some photos of the encampment at “Liberty Park” in New York of a few weeks ago, and this popular viral shot of Dorli Rainey, the 84-year old who was pepper-sprayed by the Seattle Police.

Today is the International Day of Solidarity, Day of Action in which protests, demonstrations and occupations are occurring all around the US and in other locations around the globe.

 

Zuccoti “Liberty” Park in lower Manhattan, before the recent raid by NYC police

Zuccoti “Liberty” Park in lower Manhattan, before the recent raid by NYC police

Dorli Rainey, 84-year old pepper-sprayed by Seattle Police
Stay tuned for more!

This is the Uprising” lp cover

Check out the lyrics of “Revolution” by Bob Marley, from the Natty Dread LP

Revelation reveals the truth – revelation.
It takes a revolution to make a solution;
Too much confusion, so much frustration, eh!
I don’t wanna live in the park (live in the park);
Can’t trust no shadows after dark (shadows after dark), yeah!

So, my friend, I wish that you could see,
Like a bird in the tree, the prisoners must be free, yeah! (free)

Never make a politician grant you a favour;
They will always want to control you forever, eh!
So if a fire make it bun (make it burn, make it burn)

And if a blood make it run (make it run, run, run),
Rasta de ‘pon top, can’t you see?
So you can’t predict the flop!

We got lightning (lightning), thunder (thunder),

brimstone (brimstone) and fire – fire (fire, fire);
Lightning (lightning), thunder (thunder),
brr-brimstone (brimstone) and fire – fire – fiyah!

Kill, cramp and paralyze all weak at conception;
Wipe them out of creation (creation), yeah-eah! (creation)
(creation)

Let righteousness cover the earth
Like the water cover the sea, yeah! Yeah!

Few of us–especially if we consider ourselves optimists–want to be the bearers of bad news and predictions of doom and gloom. However, it’s becoming increasingly evident and undeniable that something big is happening. Within my circle of friends, in between our mantras of abundance and visualization of prosperity, we talk furtively about what we see happening even here in the United States.

As much as I’ve resisted coming right ond saying it, I’ve realized that to speak of what’s coming is not pessimism, at all. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s actually a ray of hope that things are about to change. I see myself becoming more and more of an advocate of making the necessary shift in order to survive and usher in the new paradigm. With that said….check out:

1. The Zeitgeist Movement 

Among other things, this amazing documentary puts the entire economic paradigm and its deceptions, delusions, inconsistencies, and insanity into perspective and offers a solution! I will be reviewing this on my blog because this accurately represents everything that I have come to understand and believe about where this is all heading.