Fighting for Democracy

2006-07-22T01:16:00.001-07:00

tahitian single diamond

2006-07-22T01:16:00.000-07:00

tahitian single diamond

2006-07-22T01:15:00.001-07:00

tahitian 3 row arc diamonds

2006-07-22T01:15:00.000-07:00

tahitian 3 row arc diamonds 2

2006-07-22T01:14:00.000-07:00

tahitian floating diamonds 1

2006-07-22T01:13:00.000-07:00

tahitian floating arc diamonds

2006-07-22T01:12:00.000-07:00

tahitian X diamonds pendant

2006-07-22T01:09:00.000-07:00

tahitian X diamonds

2006-07-22T01:08:00.000-07:00

tahitian floral arc diamonds

2006-07-22T01:07:00.001-07:00

tahitian butterfly earrings 2 colors

2006-07-22T01:07:00.000-07:00

tahitian butterfly earrings

2006-07-22T01:06:00.000-07:00

tahitian butterfly pendant

2006-07-22T01:05:00.000-07:00

thitian butterfly diamonds

ponies for peace! code orange!

2006-07-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

and the winner is ...

2006-07-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

may i have the envelope, please!

2006-07-06T19:14:00.000-07:00

pearls and peace

2006-07-05T23:33:00.000-07:00

make up

2006-06-12T14:15:00.000-07:00

2006-06-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

2006-06-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

bonnie sleeping!

2006-06-12T02:07:00.000-07:00

george the muenkeey

2006-06-12T01:26:00.000-07:00

Bite his BUTT! CHIMPEACH!!!

2006-06-12T01:21:00.000-07:00

tee: i'm OUTTA here!

2006-06-12T01:20:00.000-07:00

toady concerned...

2006-06-12T01:19:00.000-07:00

tee and toad in the grass!

2006-06-12T01:15:00.000-07:00

more ponies ... sani himself

2006-06-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

more ponies ... sani

2006-06-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

more ponies...nimbus

2006-06-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

Thank you very much! Thank you VERY much!!!

2006-06-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

I'm ALSO watching YOU!

2006-06-04T21:57:00.000-07:00

I'll keep an eye out for ya!

2006-06-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

Just Hangin' Out!

2006-06-04T21:51:00.000-07:00

Could ya keep it STILL up there???

2006-06-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

I'll scratch YOUR back if...

2006-06-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

I am SOOOOO outta here!

2006-06-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

Don't be a Horse's Ass!

2006-06-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

Don't be a Butthead!

2006-06-04T21:34:00.000-07:00

Whaddaya MEAN, what's wrong?????

2006-06-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

Read my Butt!

2006-06-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

I could turn carnivore, ya know!

2006-06-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

What a load of....

2006-06-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

You are SO full of it!

2006-06-04T21:27:00.000-07:00

Don't Make me ANGRY!

2006-06-04T21:24:00.000-07:00

SEEya!

2006-05-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

2005-01-15T20:31:00.001-08:00

an alternative to high gas prices!

2005-01-15T20:31:00.000-08:00

hmmm, road kill? nah, just my "ferret"!

2005-01-15T20:30:00.002-08:00

Tendu, formerly known as Thunder

2005-01-15T20:30:00.001-08:00

demon toad!

2005-01-15T20:30:00.000-08:00

Buffalo Dog Cody, better known as TOAD (from the Wind in the WIllows.

2005-01-15T20:29:00.000-08:00

should i run for office? my better profile! i could run things in washington - a carrot in every bucket!

2005-01-15T20:28:00.001-08:00

all i gotta say is "bush, read my BUTT!"

2005-01-15T20:28:00.000-08:00

all this mudslinging is making me itch!

2005-01-15T20:27:00.000-08:00

don't mean to be "nosey", but have you humans lost your MINDS!

2005-01-15T20:26:00.001-08:00

hansome, thy name is sani!

2005-01-15T20:26:00.000-08:00

Sani has definite opinions on the qualifications of the current occupant in the white house!

2005-01-15T20:25:00.000-08:00

Nimbus (the wonder horse!) is 23 and totally blind, but LOVES to be ridden - does dressage and trails and anything else his "seeing eye person" asks him to do!

2005-01-15T20:24:00.000-08:00

my kids...Sans Peur (means "without fear", but he is a "chicken"), 16'2" swedish warmblood

Goodbye America, Hello Totalitarianism.

2004-11-13T17:37:00.000-08:00

Today, the Red Crescent attempted to bring humanitarian aid to Fallujah where the civilian population remaining in the city faces a lack of water, food, medical assistance. Our first "conquest" took possession of the only hospital in the area. Was the reason, as some news media have reported, to control the reporting of civilian casualties. According to Al Jazeera, the U.S Coalition has yet to allow this aid to reach the civilian population.

All males over 15 to 55 are prevented by U.S. Troops from feeing the Fallujah. Jim Krane, Associated Press reports that the fear of insurgents blending with the fleeing population has made it impossible for Iraqi men to leave the the devestated city.

The question that begs to be answered is why are U.S.Troops denying care to the wounded? Why are U.S. Troops systematically forbidding all males to leave while moving through the city to "eradicate" the insurgents. Is America committing genocide? Is this move through Fallujah "ethnic cleansing"?

These disturbing videos and here and here show the military at its worst - committing acts in direct violation of the Geneva Convention. When did America decide that executing incapacitated wounded is acceptable military practice? Why does the American media still refuse to cover this aspect of the invasion. While New York Times reported U.S. Sniper fired into a group men of fleeing the violence, the majority of the media does not report such incidents .

If the media refuses to be accountable for the lack of coverage in this war, what about the Government? If the Attorney General of the United States of America states that "Courts are not equipped to execute the law. They are not accountable to the people," then who is accountable? In a speech to the Federalist Society this week, Ashcroft said, "The danger I see here is that intrusive judicial oversight and second-guessing of presidential determinations in these critical areas can put at risk the very security of our nation in a time of war." OK, the Media is not accountable. The Military is not accountable. The Justice Department is not accountable. The President is not accountable. The Congress refuses to accept its accountability by circumventing the War Powers Act. Who, then, does this leave to accept responsibility? I guess it is We, the People.

Is this finally the overt signs of a rise to Totalitarianism or Fascism in what once was the model for Democracy thoughout the world?

We may already be to late to save America. I hope not. I pray that Democracy will prevail!

For that to happen, it is up to each and every one of us!
.

Pavlovian Politics!

2004-11-10T01:23:00.000-08:00

Did the Republican Party win the election by successfully controlling issues using Pavlovian conditioning and Neurolinguistic Programming? The Republican message was delivered in 15-30 second soundbites. These repetitive “catch phrases” fit the model taught by Pavlov and successfully used by Tony Robbins and Werner Erhardt. “War on Terror”, “Support our Troops”, “God Bless America”, etc., are highly charged phrases that cannot be debated – you either support the idea or you don't! You are either “for us or against us”. Republicans have mastered the techniques of NLP and are using them to win elections. We are losing that war and will continue to do so unless we adopt the same tactics!

If we want to take back our government, we must understand verbal conditioning as defined by Pavlov. We must re-write these Republican phrases by using emotional triggers that coincide with the Democratic point of view.

Why do the majority of Americans believe still that Saddam Hussein and Al Queda and 9/11 were connected. How did Republicans get away with it? Simple...after 9/11, Bush declared the “War on Terror” - then conjoined this phrase with all discussions of Saddam Hussein and Iraq. Guilt by association – and it worked! In much of rural America,news coverage is limited. Often only one radio channel (clearchannel or multimedia owned) with 30 minutes of broadcast network news nightly. These rural communities are not ignorant or stupid, they are simply limited in their access to information. The Republican party has very effectively succeeded in consolidating its message into talking points that fit comfortably into this abbreviated news format. Constant repetition of the same phrases over a period of time then conditions the listener/viewer to unconsciously accept these statements as "truth".

Republican use of emotionally charged words such as "trust", "values" and "faith" is brilliant! After all, who is against trust? Values? Faith? When these “catch phrases” become closely identified with one party, it is inconceivable to accept that the ads and information being delivered by that party are blatantly false. The swift boat campaign is a classic example. When people are asked “how can you trust him/her”, most will answer that question. Few will ask “how can I trust the inquisitor!” Legitimacy is gained through association.

Our challenge is not to wag the finger and say “you can't trust them!”. We can't win an overt debate with the unconscious mind. Our task is speak to that unconscious mind with our own catch phrases. We need to form new associations that are stronger and more powerful than those used by the opposition. To do this, we must understand "emotional triggers".

To be successful, we must also repeat our 15-30 second “soundbites” and talking points in the same hypnotic style utilized by our opponents.

In THE RAPE OF THE MIND: The Psychology of Thought Control, Menticide, and Brainwashing, by Joost A. M. Meerloo, M.D., Meerloo states

“Pavlov had already explained that man's relation to the external world, and to his fellow men, is dominated by secondary stimuli, the speech symbols. ... In a simpler way we may say: he who dictates and formulates the words and phrases we use, he who is master of the press and radio, is master of the mind.

In the Pavlovian strategy, terrorizing force can finally be replaced by a new organization of the means of communication. Ready made opinions can be distributed day by day through press, radio, and so on, again and again, till they reach the nerve cell and implant a fixed pattern of thought in the brain. Consequently, guided public opinion is the result, according to Pavlovian theoreticians, of good propaganda technique, and the polls a verification of the temporary successful action of the Pavlovian machinations on the mind. Yet, the polls may only count what people pretend to think and believe, because it is dangerous for them to do otherwise."

"Such is the Pavlovian device: repeat mechanically your assumptions and suggestions, diminish the opportunity of communicating dissent and opposition. This is the simple formula for political conditioning of the masses. This is also the actual ideal of some of our public relation machines, who thus hope to manipulate the public into buying a special soap or voting for a special party."

"Expressed in psychoanalytic terms, through daily propagandistic noise backed up by forceful verbal cues, people can more and more be forced to identify with the powerful noisemaker. Big Brother's voice resounds in all the little brothers.

Meerloo continues:

"Political conditioning should not be confused with training or persuasion or even indoctrination. It is more than that. It is tampering. It is taking possession of both the simplest and the most complicated nervous patterns of man. "

"...Instead of conditioning man to an unbiased facing of reality, the seducer conditions him to catchwords, verbal stereotypes, slogans, formulas, symbols. Pavlovian strategy in the totalitarian sense means imprinting prescribed reflexes on a mind that has been broken down. The totalitarian wants first the required response from the nerve cells, then control of the individual, and finally control of the masses. "

"The Pavlovian theory translated into a political method, as a way of leveling the mind (the Nazis called it "Gleichschaltung") is the stock in trade of totalitarian countries. Some psychiatric points are of interest because we see that Pavlovian training can be used successfully only when special mental conditions prevail. In order to tame people into the desired pattern, victims must be brought to a point where they have lost their alert consciousness and mental awareness. Freedom of discussion and free intellectual exchange hinder conditioning. Feelings of terror, feelings of fear and hopelessness, of being alone, of standing with one's back to the wall, must be instilled."

Far-fetched? Consider this advertisement for the Designed Thinking Workshop.

“How much power would you control if you knew how to:

Break down a witness you believe is lying?
Relax important witnesses so they can give a more credible testimony
Intensify the impact of positive and negative evidence
Build a foundation of trust quickly and easily
Know how certain groups of people react to information
Change peoples emotions instantly
Confuse or center peoples thinking

Some say it’s unfair or manipulative, but ..... “

This from the NLP section: "Lawyers are using Neurolinguistic Programming to present their cases to jurors with winning results"

More links on mind control:

Operation Mind Control,
U.S. Patents on Subliminal Suggestion & Mind Control,
Clam Plate Orgy,
Mind Control

If we are to be competitive, we need to fight on a level playing field. We need to effectively deliver our message. We need to take back the word “America”, take back the flag, take back “value” and define what these concepts mean to us – all in 30 seconds or less! All of us need to be using the same talking points, overtly and subliminally. Remember when Democratic Party became the “Democrat Party” to emphasize the last three letters? "DemocRAT"? It has stuck and we continue to label ourselves when we use this negative Republican term. We need to stop salivating. We need to engage the conscious mind. If we really want to win, we need to take back the language.

This thread is your challenge. Replace Republican terms with new terms – our terms. That is how we control the debate. When debate is not an option, the phrases must be self-reliant. Insist all democrats use these new terms over and over until the new phrases become synonomous with Democratic Party. Start with the Republican term “Democrat Party" and replace it with the correct term “Democratic Party"? We must take back our identity! This is how we win in 2006 and 2008!

Keep it catchy – keep it simple. Remember Pavlov. Try to evoke an emotional visceral reaction. Remember “A Mind is a Terrible thing to waste!”, “The New Frontier”, "The New Deal”, "The Great Society"? See the images these phrases evoke.

To start things off, here are a few suggestions, feel free to add to, change, create!

We can “Make America Great” again!

Republican: “Leave No Child Behind”
New Phrase: “Bring back the 3R's!”

Republican: “Healthy Forest Initiative”
New Phrase: “Save our Forests/National Parks!”
New Phrase: "Save Yosemite!”

Republican: “Clean Air Initiative”
New Phrase: “Bring Back Blue Skies!”

Who can argue with those? That is the test.

Good luck to us all!

No one said it would be easy!

2004-11-09T23:24:00.000-08:00

Democracy takes work. This isn't a reality show where the participants take home the prize after thirteen weeks. This great experiment is evolving and sometimes de-volving...but it is ours for life and it is up to us to make it work for our children and their children.

After November 2, 2004, many of us felt that our country had betrayed us. We worked. We turned out the vote. We talked until we were blue - but not blue enough.What happened (leaving computerized machines aside) that puts so many Americans in opposite corners of political turmoil?

This site will be an attempt to look honestly at America and find out what has happened to our country. We have become a nation afraid.

Half our nation fears those who worship a different God, many fear those who love differently than they do, many more fear those who wish us harm. Science has become a dirty word. Liberalism is considered an obscenity! People continue to vote against their own best interests - from jobs to health care. What forces have come into play to create this atmosphere of fear and hate and distrust?

As the weeks go by, this site will exlore how good people have come to stand on opposite sides of the "Great Divide". Unless we can find common ground and mutual respect for our differences, the United States of America may never bridge that chasm. Until we know how it occurred, we cannot begin to repair our divided, shattered nation.

We must find that respect and understanding if we ever hope again to have an America of Hope, an America of Dreams, an America of Courage and Leadership!

I believe in that America. I am willing to fight to find it again. Are you?