I'm currently reading C. S. Lewis' essay, THE PROBLEM OF PAIN (1940) in which he explores the depths of his faith in light of the suffering he sees around him. In the essay Lewis asks: "If God is good and all-powerful, why does he allow his creatures to suffer pain?"

In the end, his spiritual quest led him to believe that much of the suffering in God's world can be traced to the evil/sinful choices people make, for which they must atone and amend for in this lifetime before achieving inner peace and a true connection to God. It's a very thought provoking essay.

Posted by: Michele at 06:34 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I started this post a thousand times today in my head. It was something that had been on my mind for some time now. Ever since I saw a guest (who shall remain nameless) on Charlie Rose with a t-shirt that said: No Blood for Oil.

Not only do I believe he was way off the mark, I think he coming at the problem from the wrong angle. The angle, which has come to the crossroads (Once again) is our dependency on oil. It was our Arab suppliers manipulating price and supply that brought the US to their knees in the 1970's so why did we continue in this bad unhealthy relationship. Because Pres. Carter thought it was easy to make nice and maybe think about giving money to people to develop alternative fuel.

Hey Carter, here's a clue, instead of giving money away you should have let investors invest in phenomenal products and solutions. Now that's truly a free
market. Of course, others like The Wall Street Journal are quick to blame (as in today's front page article) states like California for their everincreasing "Oil Addiction". I think this is a very unfair label to throw at Americans. After all, we didn't say to engineers we need most of our products that we use and live on to be made from petroleum. Especially, knowing the supply of oil is limited.

Oh... you didn't know that the world only has about a 60 year supplyb of oil left (that's if current cconsumption stays as is). Well, it's been well documented. In fact, it was one of the reasons the Alaska drilling issue became so important (read the transcript of the hearings - I'll link later I'm wiped out tonight!).

But that's not the point of this post. The point of this post is not to find and lay blame; the point of this post is that if we keep going the way we've been. In one case a woman admitted she left the airconditioner on all day because she wanted to come home to a cold apartment. Another brought in a heater to work because it was too cold. How cold was it? 59F per my Army College weather thingy.

I proved to myself I was over-consuming by easily and successfully cutting down on my own consumption and reducing my monthly charges by 18%. It began by simply turning on lights only in the room I happen to be in. Changing light bulbs to energy efficient lower wattage bulbsl There were a few more, all painless. But being conservative about my use is not the only thing that will keep us free and safe from price rigging, artificial market manipulation, and (perish the thought) being compoletely cut off from oil supply.

Here's some stats you'll find interesting:
- the Middle East produces 76% of the world's consumer grade oil
- their biggest client purchasers are Americans followed by China
- of the remaining non-Arab producers, all but 1 hate our guts
- add government incentives and tax breaks for companies developing petroleum products that are several hundred millon more than funding for alternative fuels and we have an economic mindset based on those who can buy and benefit and not one of a truly free market system.

Why, because as we have seen this summer, we are at the mercy and whims of madmen who don't care if we live or die (they prefer our death) let alone if we're uncomfortable due to a power outage. If our oil supply is ever cut off, my 12 days without power would only be considered a mini-practice.

All which leads me to our men and women in uniform. I don't have time to elaborate on this right now, so I'll make it real simple, if you think our brave members of the armed forces are risking their lives by being in a war zone solely because of oil then I have a backhand that will slap you right into the library for you to do some necessary research.

Part of the reason we are there is because our oil proceeds have fueled the political ambitions of narcissistic men into religious zealots into thinking they are more powerful than they really are.and so they threaten us. And we, turn our focus onto the real feel index and air conditioners that do not blow, when in fact we need to tell our politicians to encourage alternative fuel development by giving ultimatums and tax breaks.

Our reduction in oil consumption would send a clear message to those madmen who wish to exercise power and control over our lives: we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore. We're going to emancipate ourselves from you and lets see how far you get without our money to donate missiles to Hezbollah, and to develop nuclear fission plants that will create bombs. Let's see how far your dependency on our oil money takes you when WE cut you off. Who will you threaten then?

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It's 2:00am, and I ask that you pardon the ramblings of a late night interloper, who enters the foray of economics and politics angered by all the whining that's been going on about the heat. The only people who didn't complain today were the guys being deployed and me. Though I don't know what it's like, knowing they will be patroling in full gear in 110F quashes even the mere whisper of a thought that 102F is hot. In truth, all I can think about is that they're headed for the Middle East where they will try to make sure the madness doesn't spill over all the way here.

Guys, know that you will be in our thoughts and prayers, as will RSM's friends, until you return safely to our shores. Godspeed!

Posted by: Michele at 02:32 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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From now until October 1st, booksellers, librarians, authors, readers, students and bibliophiles who support freedom of expression, will participate in a nationwide event called Banned Books Week.

It was started in 1982 by the American Library Association, the American Booksellers Association, the Association of American Publishers and the National Association of College Stores to raise awareness of censorship problems in the United States and abroad. For the past 22 years, it has remained the only national celebration of the freedom to read.

Book banning is nothing new. Dante's The Divine Comedy was burned in 1497 on religious grounds. Queen Elizabeth censored parts of Shakespeare's Tragedy of King Richard II in 1597. Jean Jacques RosseauÂ’s philosophical work was placed on the Roman Catholic ChurchÂ’s Index of Prohibited Works in the 18th century.

Visit the American Booksellers Foundation or the American Library Association to view their lists of Banned and Challenged Books of 2004/5 and see if your favorite author is listed. In reviewing the list I could not believe that some of my favorite author's were banned or challenged. Off the list this year, but on the list for several years past is "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain.

Buy/read a banned book in order to safe guard the intellectual freedom of our future generations. I wonder what Bou's sons would say if they knew that the Captain Underpants Series and "To Kill a Mockingbird" are banned books in some places across the US.

Posted by: Michele at 12:00 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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