The Meaning of Life...

Unemployment has reached 10% in the United States... 16 million people without work... 16 million people unable to pay rent, buy food, or pay the bills. Assuming each individual pays ten bills in a month, 160 million businesses a month will now not be receiving payment. Assuming each person would be paying $1000 in income taxes for the year, that is $16 Billion lost income revenue. Consider that those individuals would be likely to purchase at least $100 worth of Christmas toys had they been working this season, that is $1.6 Billion that will not be exchanged for goods or services into our economy this Christmas Season... The reports are all around us on this day: Lost jobs, lost revenue, lost income, lost taxes. The focus of our life energy seems to have been taken very drastically off course.

Consider this a moment of clarity.

Step back from material things... from jobs and homes, from cars and reality TV, from iPods and bottled water... what are you left with? You. The simplest yet most profound statement you can make is simply "I exist". You exist in mind, body, and soul. You are a force of energy, a source of love, an embodiment of the most divine. The material is distraction. The spiritual is reality.

When the student is ready, the teacher will come... so it has been said.

What is more divine than life? The collective experience of living, the personal journey of emotion. Life is our spiritual interface with the material world. It is our opportunity to learn, to experience, to seek out, and to love. These are the lessons of all history's spiritual teachers... but we are failing the test.

We are currently involved in multiple wars around the globe. There are those who seek to do harm for the sake of doing harm - thoughtless massacres, savagery. We have perfected the art of murder in the name of religious duty. We are failing the test. We can see it in the eyes of the innocent victims of senseless shootings, bombings, raids, etc. The cries of children, women, and men mourning the loss of their fellow man echo the distress of the individual soul, and the collective soul. What we do affects our ability to exist, and undermines our ability to achieve a higher state of understanding of the meaning of this life.

Should we not vest every last ounce of energy and effort to make our fellow man smile, instead of cry? Is the challenge so great, the purpose of all things so complex that we have lost our ability to recognize the truest truths, the simplest concepts, the holiest of purposes? Have we become so distracted by the things of the world that we forget the teachings of unconditional love? Pick your religious icon of choice, isn't their teaching that of altruism? Across all religions, all faiths, all spiritual concepts, unconditional selflessness is the holiest of hollies - the one common truth - the meaning of life.

The conflict of this world comes from the individual evolution of spiritual consciousness. Just like the evolution of civilization, the evolution of spiritual consciousness begins with the simplest task of just surviving, and culminates with true enlightenment. The conflict arises when one group at a level of consciousness fails to comprehend or accept that of another. Or it is out of dutiful obedience to their collective god, rejecting any other explanation of the same by way of the sword. In simple terms, religious wars for the sake of religious observances. Be it Islamic Jihad which caused mass genocide in Africa to Christian inquisitions which bore witness to human sacrifice in the early Americas, religious warfare has been the leading cause of torment in the history of this planet. What is most ironic is that all of the great teachers warned of this, and offered the answer, the truth, the secret to life... love and happiness. Does not the New Testament teach that of Faith, Hope, and Love the greatest is Love/charity... the complete giving of yourself for selfless reasons. It is not done out of obedience to God, but out of Oneness WITH God. The secret - revealed? God lives within us all, as the source for life, the breath of life. Our soul, our spirit, our very existence is the divine order from chaos - realizing this divine oneness is the highest level of spiritual consciousness.

Life was created in the image of Perfection. The breath of life was given, and with it the love of the most Divine. The energy of our spiritual consciousness is greater for knowing this - that God is Love. Not simply a bumper sticker or a televangical slogan... God = Love, and therefore Love is God... To love is divine. To Charity is Divine. Unconditional Altruism, the complete giving of the self, is the meaning... not out of duty, but out of divinity.

It is not what we have, what we give, or what we say... It is How we live, how we love, and how we share which allows our spiritual evolution... These are the teachings of all religious lore, legends, and leaders... from the earliest teachings of creation to their modern day counterparts, the message has remained unchanged since the beginning of time. Follow the golden rule and you will surely know God.

The face of God is found in the face of your fellow man. In the eyes of every man, woman, and child you will find the secret of life. When the eyes are filled with tears, filled with pain, filled with fear - there is an energy, an imbalance, a darkness being applied to the universe... The knot in your stomach, the pain in your tears, the longing for an embrace of comfort - it is life. When you are overcome with joy, when you see your child at birth, when your heart jumps out of your chest and you find yourself longing for a shared embrace of joy - it is life. There is an energy that connects us all... the spiritual consciousness, the energy of life, the power of humanity, the holy spirit. It is our compass. It is spiritual intuition, and it will guide you to the truth.

The power of prayer, of meditation, of a simple thought is real. It is the connection with God, the oneness with the universe, the evolution of the spirit. We know these rituals by different names and understand them at different levels of our own consciousness. They are the universal truths... the secret to happiness, the meaning of this life.

Be happy in your own mind. Love others unconditionally. Accept that each individual exists on their own level of spiritual consciousness, and judge not. Be kind in your thoughts and in your actions. Offer a positive thought or a prayer for a stranger in need. Forgive as freely as you have been forgiven. Lend a helping hand to one of the 16 Million neighbors in need of compassion. All of this is Love - the meaning, my friends, of Life.

Feel Good Thursday - Why wait 'til Friday

In an effort to better enjoy life, while seeking to understand existence on a deeper level, I have recently made a personal pledge of "happiness". This pledge is aimed not only at making me feel better, but actually to be a better person. The rules are simple -

1. Try to smile more
2. Look people in their eyes when talking to them
3. Make a conscious effort to think a happy thought at least five times a
day - about the freshness after a rain, the chill in the air, the color of the
leaves, the wind in your face, my daughter's smile... something happy.
4. Make a conscious effort to "project positive energy" at least once a day. Think
of it like a rock dropping into a pond. Envision yourself as the rock, and the
waves spreading out are that positive energy... anyone caught in your "wave" of
energy may just have picked up on that positive thought/energy and may have a
better day in return.

I took a few days off over the last week from blogging because of this. I wanted to restructure free from outside events... and am now more able to incorporate the bombardment of negative information with some positive thoughts. It has been a great week as a result.

Whether you choose to give it a try or not, at least stay positive and enjoy some feel good energy from me to you by way of a few songs!

This one should fill your heart:


This one should make you smile:


This one should get your feet tapping:


Love is the purest of energies... share it!

Should The Commander in Chief want to Bankrupt an Industry and a Nation's Citizens?

Voting for Barack Obama: SKYROCKETTING ENERGY PRICES - but for the betterment of the world. In his own words:

"Under my plan... of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket, even... uh, regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad, because I'm capping greenhouse gasses. Coal power plants, natural ga - you name it - whatever the industry was, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money, they will pass that cost onto consumers... "

"If you can't persuade the American people that, yes there is going to be some increase of electricity rates on the front end, but that over the long term, because of a combinations of more efficient energy usage, and changing light bulbs, and more efficient appliances, uh, but also technology improving how we can produce clean energy, that the economy will benefit..."

Listen for yourself:

Barack Obama's plan in an era of economic downturn - bankrupt the Coal Industry - Bankrupt the American worker... impose skyrocketing costs so that over the long run, we will be better off - while jobs are lost in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania because Coal is being completely eliminated as a means of energy sustainment.

The problem with Liberal Leftist Eco-Heads, as opposed to Conservative Libertarian Eco-Heads (like Myself) is that they don't understand that to succeed in alternative energy and energy independence, you must first be able to sustain what you already have. That is, our first objective is to ensure that we have a bridge of energy independence before we run headfirst into alternative energy independence.

Obama and those on the left are completely and utterly WRONG on energy. The endgame is the same - but a policy of bankrupting an industry and a people in order to justify your ends... SIMPLY WRONG!

"If somebody wants to build a Coal Powered Plant, they can, it's just that it will bankrupt them because they are going to charged a huge sum because of all the Greenhouse gas that is being emitted" - Obama

Palin Clear: Energy Independence GOP VP Focus

Sarah Palin cleared the muddied air about her ability and role as the next Vice President of the United States - she is there to take on the hurdle of ensuring energy independence in the Untied States. As the Vice President, she will ensure that the policy of "All of the Above" will bring about true energy independence in the United States!

The plan that she will enforce is a plan that will make the United States dependent on no one other than ourselves for energy. That includes a phased set of milestones, not a complete and immediate withdrawal from carbon based products (immediate withdrawal seems to be a common trend to Obama/Biden)

The plan will play out thusly:

1. Increase production of America's oil reserves - including shale. This will allow the current infrastructure to survive the transition to alternative energy. Obama/Biden see the need for alternative energy, but they refuse to admit that their policy will be grossly ineffective if they do not sustain the current infrastructure as we build the bridge to the future.

2. Invest in the capital of America's Future - Alternative Energy. Begin a process to incentivize car companies to steer away from Gasoline engines, tending towards Natural Gas or Electric. Establish an incentive program to encourage households to install solar panels - enough to reduce the need for residential power by a large percentage across America. Then begin to convert power usage from coal and oil to wind, solar, and the remaining nuclear plants built to initially sustain the energy system.

Palin is undoubtedly and undeniably the perfect candidate to take on energy independence. McCain giving her full reign in this arena was the best move for America's energy future.

In contrast, and as a side note, Biden's role as VP would be to council Obama, but let him be President... what kind of an answer is that?

Regardless - it is clear that Palin will be the leader in Energy Independence starting on day one as Vice President of these United States.

Nuclear Saudi Arabia?

The IAEA and Saudi Arabia are moving forward with approving civilian nuclear power plants in the Kingdom. This plan outlines Saudi Arabia's plans for oil needs in the future, suggesting that they will be nuclear for all internal energy needs, and use oil strictly as an export.

The increased needs for power around the world are showing a resurgence of pro-nuclear supporters worldwide - often without consideration of waste or weaponizing.

Iran, for instance, is building their first nuclear power plant, but are researching nuclear weapons in parallel, with the voiced purpose of annihilating Israel.

Can Saudi Arabia, a country whose population vehemently hates Western influence (a majority of the attackers on 9/11 were from the Kingdom), move forward with a peaceful nuclear program - or are we left to wonder if a weapons program will also be in the future for the Arab peninsula?

What is more disturbing is that the United States supports the nuclearization of the Arabian Kingdom. On one hand we pressure Iran to cease nuclear ambitions for fear that it would drive further nuclear development in the greater middle east, while on the other hand we are supporting (and most likely sharing technology) the Saudi nuclear ambition. The following map shows the status of all countries around the world regarding their nuclear ambitions:

The problem that the United States is failing to recognize is that the spread of nuclear technology is the forbidden fruit. Once you get the taste, it is natural progression to push the limits - with weapons. Don't believe me? Consider India, Pakistan, Iran, and North Korea.

Can the world move forward in a nuclear future of peace? Or does this latest spread of nuclear technology suggest another wrong turn for safety worldwide?

Oil - Who's to Blame? Who's to Fix?

The topic being discussed (or is it disgust?) all around the world is the price of oil. $40 a barrel just a few short years ago, the price of oil was fastly approaching $150 a barrel - until an unexpected drop this week (Nearly 10% fall-off in 3 days).

I hear daily reports of democrats calling for alternative energy as the only means to end this crisis. I hear daily reports of republicans calling for increased drilling as the only means to end this crisis. This has turned into the ultimate political battle, each side blaming the other, but neither side fully stating to the American people what the cause is and the true implications it has on our society.

Let's begin by answering the question: Who's to blame?

Anyone in the know understands that crude oil is sold as futures on the Merchant Exchange, NYMEX. NYMEX is similar to the stock market, only instead of stocks, you are able to buy items at a price you expect to see at some future time. For instance, you can buy/sell a barrel of oil in August 2008, or August 2013. Depending on world events, the price of your future will fluctuate based on a market response to how that item will sell in the future. So who is to blame? The merchants, naturally. In a free market we have only ourselves to blame. It is we, the people who choose to buy and sell oil and gas (even at the pumps), who drive the market prices. Are we alone? Of course not. There is analysis of oil supply versus oil demand that drives the input into the sell of the futures...

What else drives the futures of sweet crude up? Congressional recognition of fables, such as human caused Global Warming - alarmists... This adds uncertainty into the future of the supply, and regulation of the use of the product. When carbon taxes are proposed, carbon based products (and carbon emitting products) are expected to increase in price, showing an offset. This forecast of gloom and doom drives the price up.

What drives the price down? The promise to ease restriction on the oil companies to explore oil reserves freely in the waters off the US. The oil may take some time to hit the market, but it is the prospect of increased supply that will add speculators to drive oil futures down, thus driving fuel costs down.

But will drilling for oil ease the cost in America? Possibly, but not by much. This is because of the higher oil demand around the world. American oil will be sold freely on a world market, so as demand increases in other regions, the increased supply will not add to a surplus, and futures will remain high. Who profits from this? The oil companies, of course. Is this a bad thing? No... it is the free market at work.

Inasmuch, there are two additional options in addition to increasing supply to meet the immediate demands. The first is nationalizing the oil fields in US territory. Pass a bill in congress and ram it down the throat of the president stating that all oil drilled in the US must be released to US markets only, and sold only as fuel for the United States. Am I advocating for this? Absolutely NOT. But this is the mentality of the American People who believe that Congress can fix the problem, or that the Presidential Candidates have some solution that will control the oil markets. The oil market is a private enterprise. Love it or not, you are not entitled to cheap gas... it is the will of the people that drives the market. Which brings me to my second option - lifestyle changes. The oil industry is not responsible for funding alternative energy, nor are they obligated. They are in the market for oil... not in the market for creating a technology that will put them out of business - where is the sense in that? Lifestyle changes will drive a need for alternative means of energy. An increase in consumer demand for Fuel Cells, Solar Panels on the Rooftops, heck- even rocket packs, will drive the market to innovation and creation in these areas of research. We need to be pro-active about what we want to see on the market. If we don't see something that will drastically change our lives, we should invent it. Turn off American Idol, and turn on the tool box... put together a prototype Electric Hummer, or solar powered scooter... then market it as a means of alternative transportation or energy... Be the change that you want to see!

We are to blame for the mess we are in. Not Congress. Not the oil industry.

We are the solution. Not regulation of the industry by the government - Socialism is never the correct answer. Free markets drive innovation... and this is a problem that we can only innovate our way out of. We need to... I hear we are running out of oil anyway... (let's see how the futures like hearing THAT!)

Iran's Goal: A Nuclear Apocalypse

Iran's quest to bring about the End-Times is as clear as listening to a speech by any one of her leaders. The self-fullfilling prophecy of bringing about the savior of man, or the next prophet, is done so by tragic warfare, with total destruction of humanity in it's current form... It would appear, to anyone actually listening, that Iran's hopes for world peace come only from making haste on bringing about global nuclear war.

This is the problem with religious fanaticism in leadership positions... such as the Iranian panel of religious leaders and the Ayatollah, in charge of overseeing all that the governemnt and people do. Their hope is to please their god by aiding the end times.

Don't believe me? Iran has been trying to obtain the technology to build nuclear wepons since before the revolution, and since 2003 has redoubled their efforts to create not just enriched Uranium for fuel, but Plutonium for bombs. All the while speaking of peaceful energy use, but ending the speeches and policy with "and by the by, we also are going to blow Israel off the map"... let me guess, blow them off the map with peaceful energy?

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regularly mentions the Mahdi, the Muslim Messiah, in his speeches regarding the future of Iran and Iran's energy program.

If we analyse the events and the rhetoric, we can better understand what is unfolding.

The use of religion, or the invocation of the name of a god on behalf of one's cause has been the oldest and strongest form of coorsion in the history of man. Fighting in "god's army" has been a battle cry of both sides of countless wars throughout the ages. Most famous was the Crusades, in which the Holy Land was being reclaimed in the name of Christ. What better way to get atonement than to glorify your god in battle?

With this in mind, there is no question that the leaders of Iran look to influence their subjects, as well as Muslims around the world, who see the tasks they are undertaking as the work of the muslim god. As a muslim, or a citizen of Iran, how can you question the actions of your divinely inspired leaders? To do so would be blasphemy... and to blaspheme would mean death. So it goes, that the leaders of Iran have taken the most widely used page out of the history book, and are once again invoking religion over reason, and their loyal subjects are powerless to stop god.

Next, let's evaluate the "code words" being used by Iranian leadership. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad often talks about the use of Uranium for "peaceful purposes" while in the same breath talking about the destruction of Israel and the West. Let me explain: in the eyes of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad they are not mutually exclusive... they are, in fact, one in the same. According to the story of the Mahdi, there will be peace on earth when the restores righteousness and changes the world into a perfect and just Islamic society alongside Jesus (who, of course, was Muslim and not Jewish... right?). So the peace comes when the world is controlled by Islam, and we are all subject to Islamic law. That is the ultimate "peaceful purpose"... death to the infadels, and survival and submittal of all loyal islamic subjects to the islamic leadership... I mean allah, of course!

Iran is in a dangerous bind... and that bind is tying knots in the stomach of the rest of the world.

Should Iran obtain nuclear weapons, or the capability to manufacture them, we will be within a decade of nuclear war.

I ask, if we can see the future and know what tragedies are going to come, is it our obligation to stop them?

Of course I am not suggesting all out war with Iran... but destroying the ability for Iran to enrich nuclear material... for energy or for weapons.

The alternative could be much worse.

A Green Christmas - our obligation to the earth

As we begin the Christmas season, I would like to suggest one or two quick things:

I am a firm believer in personal responsibility, and moral obligation... obligation, in this case, is towards the earth and the future of the earth...

When wrapping your gifts, try to use recycled wrapping paper. If you couldn't, then the next best thing is to sort all your paper into recyclables after your gifts are unwrapped... this extra 5 minute task is one of many small steps you can take to have a greener Christmas!

As well, try turning the heater down by just one degree throughout the day and/or night... You will be amazed at the energy savings. We just got our energy (gas) bill yesterday, and we reduced our gas usage by 20% over the same period last year, with the same average daily temp... 20%, and all we did was adjust the thermostat by 1 degree all day.

It is the little things that make the biggest difference sometimes!

Welcome to winter, and a great Christmas Season!

Energy Independence Will Require Radical Changes

Before I begin my discussion on this topic, let me preface by saying that the origin of the Republican Party was in radical ideology... Equality for all men, regardless of skin tone, in a time when slavery was openly practiced over much of the US, and the world. So we were born on radical ideas, and it is on such that we must continue to grow.

Most presidential candidates are talking about an energy independence plan that revolves around a 20-40% reduction in foreign oil consumption by 2020... This is a fancy way of saying that you have a plan, with a fine-print-promise of "It aint gonna happen!"

Energy independence, serious energy independence, does not come from 20 year plans with little or no gain on current situations. Such plans guarantee future energy based wars in regions of the world that would rather not have US occupation.

So to get results, we need Radical Changes... radical changes in the form of Radical Policy and Radical New Laws. I am not one to support bigger government or more laws... but in this case it is a new law that will steer the "norm" in a new direction.

When the congress passed their "sweeping fuel consumption reform" they praised themselves as the car companies grumbled in protest... the reform: mandating 40 mpg average on ALL vehicles by 2020... in hopes to reduce fuel consumption. But with the number of vehicles on the road increasing each year, this does nothing to energy consumption but maintain the status quo!

We need an energy independence bill to go through both houses and the oval office that will guarantee immediate and drastic change... Complete energy independence in less than 8 years from the time of passage... Sounds impossible, but is it? Oh, it will piss off the oil industry... but it is time to "break the addiction". My legislation would look something like this (legal jargon omitted) -

1. 100% of All new vehicles to be sold in the United States shall be Ethanol E-85, Flex Fuel, Ethanol/Hybrid technology, Bio-Diesel, or otherwise burning less than 15% total petrol per tank of fuel by the year 2012.

2. All Oil industry subsidies shall be stopped, and money used instead to prepare the ethanol & bio-diesel infrastructure, including ethanol fuel crops, ethanol / bio-diesel production, and distribution centers. All fueling stations shall be required to provide alternative fueling options (ethanol and/or bio-diesel)

3. US should fund creation of new power plants within the US, to include ONLY clean fuels, excluding Nuclear fission plants. Plants should include Offshore-Wind, Tidal Generators, Geothermal Generators, and Solar Plants.

4. States should be classified as "Sunshine" or "Non-Sunshine" states/regions. For instance, Eastern Colorado gets 300+ days of sunshine a year... this will classify it as a Sunshine State / Region.

5. ALL homes and buildings in "sunshine regions" shall be required to install Solar Panels and energy storage. Cost of installation shall be offset by government subsidies to the solar panel manufacturers. This will drastically reduce the need for power plants, and ensure reduction in natural gas/coal/oil burning emissions. The solar power could provide 75% of all housing energy consumption, eliminating energy draws / black-outs / etc.

Taking the steps above we, as a country, reduce emissions of petroleum based fuels by at least 50-75%. We will also reduce the need for mass power distribution, allowing power share of stored personal solar energy. we will completely eliminate the need to import fuels from the middle east and south America by 2020 (not just reducing by 20-40%). It assures that we become not only energy independent from foreign governments, but greatly adds to our own personal energy independence from big power companies... as well as promising better stewardship of the land in which we live.

This is a radical shift in America, and a challenge that will rival the first moon program to implement on such a short timeline...

But it CAN be done.

In fact, I have freely given my independent ideas on this policy change to Bill Richardson and the You Tube community last week, and I offer it to you (my reader) today. If there is not movement in the congress or by a presidential candidate to adopt these radical policies, I will have to take up the fight myself!

Give the policy some thought, and please feel free to comment...

God Bless.