MOMZILLA ON THE ATTACK!!!!!!!!!

Mother-in-law sends worst email ever to bride: forgivable? - Love + Sex on Shine

New term: mom-zilla. We know all about temporary bridal insanity, and the underreported groom version, but in some families, it's the parents who are seized by irrational wedding meltdowns.

Last month, 60-year-old British florist and total mom-zilla, Carolyn Bourne attacked. After her stepson's bride-to-be, Heidi Withers, was a guest in her house she had a thing or two to teach her before she entered the Bourne family.

So Bourne sent the 29-year-old a soul-crushing email. The subject line: "Your lack of manners." The bullet points for the bride, in paraphrase: her wedding is going to be tacky, she's too picky of an eater, her sense of humor sucks, and her stepson is making a dreadful choice in marrying her. And one more thing: her out-of-work parents are cheap.

When Withers received the email (Bourne sent it three times to be sure) she did what anyone would do: she forwarded it to a few friends to share in the shock. What was the alternative -respond with a 'frowny' face? But instead of simply offering advice, some anonymous friend got pro-active and forwarded Bourne's e-attack, launching a viral sensation in a matter of hours. Now everyone in the Western Hemisphere has laid eyes on Bourne's email.

In a way, it's the ultimate revenge on a mother-in-law who needed to be put in her place after such power-mongering. But it's not going to make for smooth wedding. Bourne has been labeled the mother-in-law from hell by media outlets and Withers' father Alan has fueled the fire by publicly calling Bourne "Miss fancy pants." Now parents on both sides of the couple are fueding and nobody's manners are in check. Suggestion for Heidi and Freddie, her groom: elope.

Bourne has told London's Telegraph she still plans to attend the wedding, but will maintain a "dignified silence." She may know about English etiquette but she's clueless about the cardinal rule of the Internet: never send an email you don't want the world to see. You almost have to feel bad for the lady, mom-zilla or not. That is, until you read the actual email she sent Withers. Here's an excerpt:

from: Carolyn Bourne
to: heidi withers
subject: your lack of manners

Here are a few examples of your lack of manners:

When you are a guest in another's house, you do not declare what you will and will not eat - unless you are positively allergic to something.

You do not remark that you do not have enough food.

You do not start before everyone else.

You do not take additional helpings without being invited to by your host.

When a guest in another's house, you do not lie in bed until late morning in households that rise early - you fall in line with house norms.

You should never ever insult the family you are about to join at any time and most definitely not in public. I gather you passed this off as a joke but the reaction in the pub was one of shock, not laughter.

You regularly draw attention to yourself. Perhaps you should ask yourself why. No one gets married in a castle unless they own it. It is brash, celebrity style behaviour.

I understand your parents are unable to contribute very much towards the cost of your wedding. (There is nothing wrong with that except that convention is such that one might presume they would have saved over the years for their daughters' marriages.)

If this is the case, it would be most ladylike and gracious to lower your sights and have a modest wedding as befits both your incomes.

One could be accused of thinking that Heidi Withers must be patting herself on the back for having caught a most eligible young man. I pity Freddie.

Ouch. There's no denying it's harsh, but if you've ever been in the line of fire in a wedding party, you know marriage anxieties strike darkness in the hearts of man. What do you think: Is this mom's email forgivable?

YOU GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!!!

Feds raid Amish farm for the crime of selling raw milk

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Doubt is a powerful tool. Doubt challenges my beliefs and breaks the spell of all the lies and superstitions that control my world. I use doubt to recover faith in myself, to take my power back from every superstition I believe in, and return that power to myself.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

Activists rally to push for maximum sentence for NYPD cops acquitted of rape | The Raw Story

Activists rally to push for maximum sentence for NYPD cops acquitted of rape | The Raw Story

The Word "FUCK"

Perhaps one of the most interesting words in the English language today, is the word fuck. Out of all the English words that begin with the letter 'f' ...fuck is the only word referred to as 'the f word... It's the one magical word. Just by its sound can describe pain, pleasure, hate and love. Fuck, as most words in the English language is derived from German ...the word fuieken, which means to strike.

In English, fuck falls into many grammatical categories:

As a transitive verb for instance.. John fucked Shirley.
As an intransitive verb... Shirley fucks.

Its meaning is not always sexual, it can be used as...

An adjective such as... John's doing all the fucking work.
As part of an adverb... Shirley talks too fucking much.
As an adverb enhancing an adjective... Shirley is fucking beautiful.
As a noun... I don't give a fuck.
As part of a word... absofuckinglutely -or- infuckingcredible.
And as almost every word in a sentence... Fuck the fucking fuckers.

As you must realize, there aren't too many words with the versatility of fuck...such as these examples describing situations such as:

Fraud: I got fucked at the used car lot.
Dismay: ahhh fuck it.
Trouble: I guess I'm really fucked now.
Aggression: Don't fuck with me buddy.
Difficulty: I don't understand this fucking question.
Inquiry: Who the fuck was that?
Dissatisfaction: I don't like what the fuck is going on here.
Incompetence: He's a fuck-off.
Dismissal: Why don't you go outside and play hide and go fuck yourself...

I'm sure you can think of many more examples.

With all these multi-purpose applications, how can anyone be offended when you use the word. We say use this unique, flexible word more often in your daily speech.

It will identify the quality of your character immediately.

Say it loudly and proudly: FUCK YOU!

Book Excerpt: "Tropic of Chaos:" Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence

Book Excerpt: "Tropic of Chaos:" Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The real me is beyond everything I know. The real me is truth; my physical presence is real. Everything else, including everything I know through symbols, is not truth, it's not real. It's an illusion, and it's beautiful.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

I HOPE WHOEVER READS THIS POST SUPPORTS THIS CAUSE

So... there's a campaign to end sexual Harassment on the street... Do I think they will succeed? Well, I heard a someone say once that "It does no good for the antelope to rule against eating meat, unless the lion agrees." So, I don't think they will succeed, but I DO think that any attempt to make this world we live in a better place for EVERYONE is a cause worth fighting for.

So, let's help make the world safe for women on the street. Support this cause. Click on the words below to go to the original article.

Emily May is Leading a Movement to End Public Sexual Harassment | Classy Achievements


Hollaback!’s “I’ve got your back” Campaign from Emily May on Vimeo.

Emily May launched the website Hollaback! to help victims of street harassment fight back through reporting and sending photos of their harassers. After thousands of people participated and dozens of news articles reporting the phenomena, she turned the website into a full fledged nonprofit organization and a movement to end street harassment worldwide.

Like most women and LGBTQ individuals, I have been struggling with street harassment for my whole adult life. Five years ago I began a Facebook album of photos I took of my harassers – and after I posted dozens of pictures, a friend connected me with Emily May of Hollaback! At the time, it was just a website meant to connect folks who had been targeted by street harassment, with an option to upload a picture of the perpetrator (a really empowering power switch).


Last year, Emily became my hero by quitting her job to run Hollaback! as a real nonprofit. Nearly every woman in the world has experienced street harassment, and it’s a realm of sexual violence that has been assumed and accepted for too long. The greatest obstacle is simply explaining that letting aggressive, straight men own the street (i.e. they can yell at women, cat call them, judge them, and scream obscenities at them when they don’t respond) sets the stage for groping, assault and rape. Emily has done an amazing job explaining this, raising enough money to get the organization off the ground, and advocating for the women and LGBTQ communities impacted by this problem around the world (there are now dozens of chapters, many overseas!).

She is also on the forefront of using technology for social change. Emily and Hollaback! are not just running an amazing interactive website now – they’re running training programs, doing a ton of public speaking, and reaching out to communities all over the world to help make the streets safe for anyone to walk confidently. They have a current campaign called “I’ve got your back”, which is raising money to do PSA’s, education, and support for bystanders to assist someone being targeted for harassment. The long term vision is that our daughters, and their daughters, can be in public without fearing or experiencing a stranger’s hostility and sexual harassment.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I am here to enjoy life. I am not here to suffer. I am here to be a dreamer, to be an artist, to be a seer. The mission of my life is to enjoy every single moment of my life.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

DEAR DIARY...

What Did I do today? Well...

I went to the DMV to get a new state ID, watched some TV, surfed the internet, did an awesome workout, had my very first bowl of Vietnamese Pho... and it was delicious!!! I'm gonna have to get some more of that soon! Then I went on a little bike ride, and I popped a tire and had to replace the inner tube.

Now, let's see what Tomorrow has to offer!

OLD NEWS...

I just got a sample issue of this magazine in the mail today. It's full of great articles dealing with historical events. If you're a history buff like me, you're gonna love it! The link to the website is below, and in the sidebar under WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE HAVE BEEN, AND WHERE I HOPE WE ARE GOING.

OLD NEWS homepage

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Everything I need is within me. I don't have to search for the truth, I am the truth. I don't have to search for perfection; I am perfection. I don't have to search for happiness; I am happiness wherever I am.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

Channel Higher Self - How to Begin a Spiritual Path (1 of 4)

Sunday School Story

As you may have noticed, the name of this post is "Sunday School Story", not "Sunday School Video". The reason is I wanted to type a little bit about this Web Site:

TEA PARTY JESUS.

Now I gotta admit, when I first heard about this site, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. But whatever the original purpose of this web site is, whenever I feel down and need to lift my spirits, I click over to Tea Party Jesus to check out the pictures, and laugh at the IDIOT Right Wing so-called Conservatives who inspired the words in those pictures. I'll let thisarticle from the Huffington Post explain this web site in Detail...

Tea Party Jesus: Blog Puts Words Of Conservatives In The Mouth Of Christ (PICTURES)
Huffington Post | Katla McGlynn First Posted: 06-30-10 01:16 PM | Updated: 08-30-10 05:12 AM

The concept behind the site Tea Party Jesus is simple: Put the words of conservative Christian social and political figures in the mouth of Christ. The juxtaposition of hateful, ignorant, or otherwise nonsensical rants with serene photos of JC himself isn't only funny, but says a lot about the people who claim to be Christians. With the site's permission, we've compiled some of our favorites so far. From the predictably fiery Bill O'Reilly and Ann Coulter to various pastors, radio hosts, and senators, these quotes are real, with quote sources linked to in the caption of each slide. If you go to the actual site, you can click on each photo to reveal the person behind the quote, making for for a jaw-dropping game of who-said-what.

If you want to know more about Tea Party Jesus, the link is in the sidebar under Religion and Spirituality..

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Heaven is all around me. Heaven is a point of view, a state of mind. Heaven is where I feel a communion of love with everything in existence.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

Ring Wing Language Lessons

Ever wonder what is going on in the head of a right winger when they talk about change, liberals, or entitlements? Well they seem pretty scared so it cant be anything good.

Scare Words from the Right-Wing (And What They Really Mean)

BY MATTHEW DESMOND


I want to preface this by saying that after each word, where it says “What it really means”, I am not giving the literal definition of the word for ever word, on some of them I am just stating the actual things that those words are attempting to demonize.

Change:
What they want you to think it means- A radical reshaping of our Government meant to take us away from the foundation that our Founders built this country on.
What it really means- Improving the things in our society and government that don’t work towards helping the “general welfare” of the citizenry, and instead hurts them. Trying to create the “more perfect union” our founders wanted.

Communist/Fascist/Socialist/Tyrannical Government:
What they want you to think it means- You Government wants to control every aspect of your life and you have no control over it.
What it really means- Democratically elected politicians who are not members of the Republican Party and don’t support its conservative principles.

Elitists:
What they want you to think it means- Someone that talks down to you like you’re stupid and that wants to dictate to you how you live your life and spend your money.
What it really means- Someone in a position of power or authority, or someone who might be better educated about, or understand, an issue better than you do.

Entitlement programs:
What they want you to think it means- Massive amounts of government money going to lazy people who don’t deserve it and don’t want to work for it.
What it really means- Programs that help mothers and children like WIC or Food Stamps. Medical programs like Medicare and Medicaid that help people who can’t afford health insurance. Programs like Social Security that help the elderly and disabled and keep them from going into poverty. Programs that help heroes, like the 9/11 first responders bill that pays for healthcare for rescue workers who got sick at Ground Zero after 9/11. Unemployment insurance for people who have paid into it for years and can’t find work and can’t afford to survive, or support their families, without it.

Godless:
What they want you to think it means- A terrible person who lives their life in sin, committing crimes against their fellow man and hating the Christian foundation they generally believe this country was built on.
What it really means- An atheist, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Agnostic, etc. or anyone that doesn’t follow a Judeo-Christian faith.

Gun Control:
What they want you to think it means- Taking away all guns. Removing the 2nd Amendment from the Constitution and denying the citizenry their right to bear arms.
What it really means- Stricter regulations on assault weapons and automatic weapons. Keeping guns out of the hands of felons and people that are mentally unfit. Do you think the founding fathers were thinking of AK-47s when they wrote the 2nd Amendment?

Homosexual agenda:
What they want you to think it means- Teaching little kids about the homosexual lifestyle in an attempt to indoctrinate them or “Turn them gay”. Forcing churches to marry gay couples even if it is against their beliefs. Finding straight people and turning them gay.
What it really means- Equality for gays, lesbians, and transgendered people. Protection from harassment and discrimination based on sexual or gender orientation.

Immigrants-
What they want you to think it means- People who sneak into this country illegally from Mexico to commit crimes and steal jobs that would normally be available to people that are citizens.
What it really means- People that come to America from countries all over the world, to better their lives and to try and live the American dream. Many of them are here legally, and they are from all over the world not just Mexico.

Intellectuals:
What they want you to think it means- Someone with a liberal education who wants to talk down to you like you’re dumber than them.
What it really means- Someone with a college education or, at the very least, a basic understanding of politics. Someone who thinks for themselves and doesn’t just repeat what they hear from other people, verbatim.

Liberals:
What they want you to think it means- Someone who radically wants to change America from its constitutional values, give the government more power and change the very core of our Republic.
What it really means- People that believe that the “general welfare” clause of the constitution applies to all Americans, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, ET. Al. and that the Government should protect its citizenry and guarantee equality and liberty, and not rule over the people. People that believe in freedom and justice for ALL, and that work towards that goal. (The Founding Fathers were liberal. If someone ever tries to tell you that breaking off from the biggest monarchy in the world in 1776 was a conservative move, please, laugh in their face.)

Obamacare:
What they want you to think it means- An evil socialist plot that is going to cost the taxpayers billions, damage our economy, and prevent job growth.
What it really means- Non-dependent children can stay on their parent’s health insurance until they’re 26. 85% of the money you spend on health insurance has to go towards paying for your ACTUAL care. You can’t be denied from getting insurance based on a pre-existing condition. Lower costs for health insurance, and it also reduces the deficit, according to the non-partisan CBO.

Pacifist:
What they want you to think it means- A coward who refuses to defend themselves even if they’re attacked first. Someone who is weak.
What it really means- Someone that won’t start a fight unless provoked. Someone who doesn’t support unjustifiable wars that kill people needlessly, but would generally fight or go to war if attacked first.

Progressive:
What they want you to think it means- Someone that hates the constitution and thinks it’s flawed. Someone that wants to reshape America from the principles it was founded on.
What it really means- Someone that understand that the Founders intended for this country to grow and change, and that those principles of progress and making this country better are engrained in our constitution and founding documents. The founders never said they formed a “completely perfect union”, they stated “in order to form a MORE perfect union”; because they knew that it could always be improved upon.

Single Payer health insurance or the “Government Option”:
What they want you to think it means- Rationed healthcare and poorer quality healthcare because it can’t be good if the Government pays for it.
What it really means- Every citizen has health insurance, or has the option to get insured by the Government, and can’t be denied healthcare. Having the same option for health insurance that the politicians who oppose the Government option already have. If you can’t afford healthcare it will still be provided for you.

Special Interests:
What they want you to think it means- Scary entities that spend limitless amounts of money to try to push their evil agenda, and to pay off politicians.
What it really means- Police, teachers, firefighters, Unions, schools, political activists and anyone else that contributes to causes that are not supported by the Republican Party, or that do not fall in line with their conservative values.

Social Justice:
What they want you to think it means- Poor people taking things they don’t deserve, and have no right to have, so they can spend it on things they don’t need. The government taking your money and giving it to crazy people and drug addicts, by force.
What it really means- Understanding the values of human rights, and equality. Helping even the poorest and sickest because it’s the right thing to do. Helping your fellow man if he cannot help himself.

Unions:
What they want you to think it means- Big scary organizations that steal money from their members and then use it to buy politicians to support their own corrupt agendas.
What it really means- Groups that protect the rights of their employees. They represent cops, firefighters, hospital workers, and many other groups of people.

Unpatriotic/un-American:
What they want you to think it means- Someone who hates America and only pretends to love it so they can radically change it away from the constitution and turn it into a nanny state.
What it really means- Anyone that doesn’t support Republican politicians, policies, or doesn’t have conservative Republican values.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Life is generous with me. Life gives me everything I need, and my heart is filled with gratitude.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

Ideally ILCA cooks Arroz Con Atum

Raise your hand if you're not stupid!

Van Jones on the deficit: ‘We are not stupid. We can do the math.’ | The Raw Story

By Melissa Jeltsen
Friday, June 24th, 2011 -- 10:34 am

Van Jones, Obama's former green jobs czar, kicked off a new progressive movement at New York City’s Town Hall last night with an ambitious goal -- to build a vocal counterweight to the Tea Party, who he says has monopolized the dialogue on America’s economic woes. “We are trying to hit a big reset on the conversation we are having in America about how to fix our economy,” Jones told Raw Story in a post-event interview. “We are trying to change the conversation from one about war and austerity to a conversation about peace and prosperity.”

The movement, called Rebuild The Dream, hopes to bring traditional liberal factions -- environmentalists, labor groups, gay rights and immigration activists -- under one cohesive umbrella, united by a desire to protect and expand the disappearing middle class. “All of us are suffering economically,” Jones said. “We won’t be able to have equality and equal rights that are meaningful if the whole economy is collapsed.”

The event combined commentary by Jones, performances by The Roots and videos and graphics about the dwindling middle class. Artist Shepard Fairey kicked off the night with a DJ set, mixing Public Enemy, Ice Cube, The Verve and Jay-Z.

On stage, Jones used his speech, at times funny, at times tragic, to push back on the idea that America is out of money. “We keep hearing America -- the richest country in the history of the world is broke,” he said. “This is a very dangerous lie, because once you believe this a whole lot of other things start to sound acceptable.”

Using graphics, he gave the audience an educational lesson on where American money is going: Wall Street ($144 billion in compensation this year, a record high), the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the loss of revenue from the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and corporate tax loopholes. “The pie, the country’s GDP, is getting bigger!” he said. “It’s just your slice that is getting smaller. The social contract between corporate America and the rest of America is broken.”

“Tax Wall Street fairly, wind down the wars responsibly, roll back the Bush tax cuts and close corporate loopholes,” Jones said. “We are not stupid. We can do the math.”

Justin Ruben, executive director of MoveOn.org, which is partnering with Rebuild The Dream, told Raw Story said that this is an extraordinarily dangerous moment in American history. “People have lots their jobs, veterans are coming home without jobs, kids are graduating from college, no hope of getting a decent job,” he said. “Yet in Washington, D.C., the debate around the economy is going on in this bizarre parallel world, where the only problem is our deficit, except when it comes to giving tax cuts to corporations, in which case the deficit doesn’t matter.”


Jones called now a ‘moral moment.’ “The pain point that people are experiencing is unbearable. If you drill one centimeter below where we are economically, it is freefall for tens of millions of Americans and they don’t know what to do, and no one cares.”

He said he admired the Tea Party for their ability to organize and educate their members, and said the progressive movement was not against them but for them, as they too will suffer without a middle class.

“This is about a very small amount of very greedy people against the United States of America,” he says. “We say no way.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I surrender to life. Everything in life is just the way it is, and because I accept everything as it is, I don't worry about anything. I surrender to the force of life that's flowing through my body and my mind. It's a way of being. It's being life.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

YOU GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!!!

NC woman sterilized because state deemed her ‘promiscuous’ | Raw Replay

The day that Elaine Riddick had her first and only child, the state of North Carolina had her sterilized on the orders of a court. Riddick had been raped but the state said she was promiscuous.

“They said that I was feeble-minded, they said that I was promiscuous,” Riddick told CBS News. “I’ve always been able to take care of myself – I’ve never been promiscuous.”

“So how can people use these things to describe a child that had been abandoned? Or that had been raped by the neighbor and then again, raped by the state of North Carolina?”

North Carolina is the first state to consider a $20,000 payment to victims of sterilizations, but it is doubtful that the Republican-controlled legislature will set aside the necessary funds.

CBS News noted that more than 60,000 women in 32 states were sterilized to keep down welfare costs.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Respect for other people brings me peace. I respect whatever people believe, whatever people want to do with their lives. By respecting other people, I am not in conflict with anyone. I am at peace.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Today is the day of my last judgment. Today is the very last day that I judge either myself or anybody else. It's the day that I accept myself just the way I am, and I accept everybody else just the way they are. The reward is my eternal happiness
~Don Miguel Ruiz

Top 10 Spiritual Questions Answered - 10

Uploaded by HigherSelfCommunity on Jun 19, 2011
http://HigherSelfCommunity.com Victoria Vives Khuong interviews Lincoln Gergar from http://ChannelHigherSelf.com

Question 1 - What is the purpose of Life?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP9CMVUsFm0

Question 2 - What is Love?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msBORW9ymqA

Question 3 - What is God?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPsfsTvem2k

Question 4 - What happens after death?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIF94Ocdp9k

Question 5 - What is your vision about the year 2012?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlDIWO3UUiU

Question 6 - What is evil?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH090IUXU7Y

Question 7 - Do other beings exist, such as Angels or beings from another planets?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfmM0wJ3p2w

Question 8 - What is the secret to happiness?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwXZ-ZWjZLE

Question 9 - How did the Universe begin?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6EQcppeUls

Question 10 - What is the Soul?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=438SfKiBt6Q

Watch the playlist with all Q&A at http://www.HigherSelfCommunity.com/Interviews

Namaste. Victoria

Category:
Education

Tags:
soul being top ten higher self love life God beings Earth consciousness lincoln gergar victoria vives khuong channel channeling healing spiritual teacher questions spirituality answers teachings inspirational perception educational empowering interview transformation awareness spirit spiritualism guru master enlightenment help meditation energy truth

License:
Standard YouTube License

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The goal of life is
to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe,
to match your nature with Nature.
- Joseph Campbell

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The truth has set me free. Lies no longer rule my world. I see the truth and follow the truth by following my own heart.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE DADS OUT THERE!!!

The Sunday News

Impersonator mocks Obama, Gingrich at GOP forum - Yahoo! News

By PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press – Sat Jun 18, 11:29 pm ET

NEW ORLEANS – A Barack Obama impersonator was ushered off the stage after he mocked the Republican presidential hopefuls and joked about the real president's biracial roots to a room full of conservative activists Saturday.

The Republican Leadership Conference turned the podium over to impersonator Reggie Brown, who drew raucous applause from the GOP's supporters when he projected lewd photos of Rep. Anthony Weiner, the New York Democrat who just resigned after the furor over his sexually charged online dalliances with a former porn actress and other women.

Brown later played up the mass exodus of advisers to candidate Newt Gingrich's campaign and said Gingrich's supporters "are dropping faster than Anthony Weiner's pants."
The audience grew more uncomfortable when Brown turned to the candidates who are looking to make Obama a one-term president.

The impersonator took a shot at former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, saying Pawlenty missed the conference because "he's having his foot surgically removed from his mouth."


"Don't worry: it's covered under Obamneycare ... along with spinal transplants," Brown said.
Pawlenty has struggled this week after previewing his criticism of former Gov. Mitt Romney's health care overhaul in Massachusetts that was a model for Democrats' national plan. Pawlenty first called it "Obamneycare," a hybrid of "Romneycare" and "Obamacare." But when given the opportunity to use the term while sharing the stage with Romney during a debate Monday night in New Hampshire, he balked.
Pawlenty later said it was a mistake not to offer a stronger criticism.

The impersonator joked about Romney's Mormon faith and about polygamy, and Rep. Michele Bachmann's tea party support.

Organizers then cut off Brown's microphone and turned on music. He was shown off the stage.

The jokes came a day after Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour urged Republicans not to be distracted from a message honed solely on jobs and the economy.

"If we let people in the Obama campaign take America's eye off the ball, then that's their only chance to win," Barbour said.

Brown opened his routine with jokes about Obama's biography as the son of a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya.

"My mother loved a black man and, no, she was not a Kardashian," the actor said, referring to the reality television family. Khloe Kardashian is married to basketball player Lamar Odom of the Los Angeles Lakers. Other family members have had black romantic interests on the E! television series.

Brown also joked about rumors of the president's birthplace. Obama was born in Hawaii, "or as the tea partyers call it, Kenya," he said.

Brown highlighted photographs of past presidents such as George W. Bush at the beginning and end of their terms.

He showed a picture of George Washington at the start of his term and then projected an image of former first lady Barbara Bush as though it was the nation's first president as he left office.

Brown then projected a picture of Obama at the start of his term, followed by a picture of Fred Sanford of "Sanford and Son" as a representation of what Obama would look like when he leaves office.

This Just In...

Herman Cain: ‘I’m not anti-Muslim, I’m anti-terrorist’ | The Raw Story

Republican presidential hopeful and former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain once again defended his anti-Muslim remarks to a group of bloggers over the weekend.

Cain has said that he would sooner appoint openly gay cabinet members than one those of Muslim faith, because "they are not going to try and put Sharia law in our laws."

The remark has haunted him throughout the campaign season, and some of Cain's defenses have only dug the hole deeper, like the explanation Cain provided ThinkProgress last week.

"You have peaceful Muslims, then you have militant Muslims, those that are trying to kill us," he said Monday. "I was thinking about the ones that were trying to kill us."

At the Right Online conference for conservative bloggers this weekend, Cain tried again.

"I am not anti-Muslim. I am anti-terrorist," he said, according to the Associated Press. "My statement has been misconstrued several times. I've even been called a bigot, because I've expressed a desire to be cautious if I were to consider a Muslim for my administration."

Sunday School Video

For our Sunday school video this week, we take a look at china's spiritual revolution. Click on the link below to watch the video. For the video description from You Tube, look below the link to the video.

http://youtu.be/yTfpqof1X5Q

Uploaded by journeymanpictures on May 24, 2011
China's unwanted spiritual revolution

To see more go to http://www.youtube.com/user/journeymanpictures

Follow us on Facebook (http://goo.gl/YRw42) or Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/journeymanvod)

As China casts off the mantle of communism, capitalism has filled the economic void; but what about the spiritual one? As a multiplicity of religions flourish we find out why the state is so concerned.

A head pokes around a golden pillar and then draws back quickly, hoping to stay out of sight. As two men drive off an unmarked police car pulls out to follow. But this surveillance operation isn't for terrorists; it's for journalists trying to speak to Christians. But why? All over China religion is on the rise and the government is happy to support it, The government has helped us build this church", says Pastor Joesph Gu, leader of one of the state accepted churches. Another pastor says that the government have been desperate to get him to register his church. So far he has refused because of restrictions on what you can preach, "If something is against our faith, we don't obey". And so his congregation is constantly stalked by secret police. He's not the only one, "Between 1994 and 1997 I was imprisoned because of my beliefs", Pastor Zheng tell us. Religion not endorsed by the state seems to be the problem. It appears that the Chinese state cannot accept the idea that many of their citizens follow the word of God above the word of the Party.

A Film By ABC Australia
Distributed By Journeyman Pictures
May 2011

Category:
News & Politics

Tags:
china communism christianity religion government journeyman pictures

License:
Standard YouTube License

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I am free to be who I really am. Personal freedom - the freedom to be who I really am, the freedom to do what I really want to do - is the greatest gift that I can give myself
~Don Miguel Ruiz

IT'S JUNETEENTH!!!!!!!

Okay, well I'm not THAT super excited about it, but today, there was a juneteenth celebration at a park near my house. There was some good food, a live band playing, some great examples of fine african art, some old posters from time gone by reminding black youth of the struggles our forefathers went through in this country, etc. All in all,I had a pretty good time.

Now, if you don't know what Juneteenth is, don't be suprised. The fact is, for most of the holiday's history, the only place it's ever been celebrated was in East Texas. It's only been celebrated around here in my hometown for the last few years, never when I was a kid.

So, to get you famililar with this holiday, here's a definition from WIKIPEDIA:

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is a holiday in the United States honoring African American heritage by commemorating the announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. State of Texas in 1865. Celebrated on June 19, the term is a portmanteau of June and nineteenth, and is recognized as a state holiday in 37 states of the United States.[1][2]

The state of Texas is widely considered the first U.S. state to begin Juneteenth celebrations with informal observances taking place for over a century; it has been an official state holiday since 1980. It is considered a "partial staffing holiday", meaning that state offices do not close, but some employees will be using a floating holiday to take the day off.[3] Its observance has spread to many other states, with a few celebrations even taking place in other countries.[4][5]

As of June 2011, 39 states[1] and the District of Columbia have recognized Juneteenth as either a state holiday or state holiday observance; these are Alaska,[5] Arizona, Arkansas, California,[5] Colorado, Connecticut,[5] Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,[2] Kentucky,[6][7] Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan,[8] Minnesota,[9] Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey,[5] New Mexico, New York,[5] North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,[1] Vermont,[1] Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.[10]
[edit]History

Ashton Villa, from whose front balcony the Emancipation Proclamation was read on June 19, 1865.
Though Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, with an effective date of January 1, 1863, it had minimal immediate effect on most slaves’ day-to-day lives, particularly in the Confederate States of America. Texas, as a part of the Confederacy, was resistant to the Emancipation Proclamation, and though slavery was very prevalent in East Texas, it was not as common in the Western areas of Texas, particularly the Hill Country, where most German-Americans were opposed to the practice. Juneteenth commemorates June 18 and 19, 1865. June 18 is the day Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take possession of the state and enforce the emancipation of its slaves. On June 19, 1865, legend has it while standing on the balcony of Galveston’s Ashton Villa, Granger read the contents of “General Order No. 3”:

The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.[11]

That day now since became known as Juneteenth, a name coming from a portmanteau of the words "June" and "teenth" like "nineteenth" and other numbers with teenth.
Former slaves in Galveston rejoiced in the streets with jubilant celebrations. Juneteenth celebrations began in Texas the following year.[11] Across many parts of Texas, freed people pooled their funds to purchase land specifically for their communities and increasingly large Juneteenth gatherings — including Houston’s Emancipation Park, Mexia’s Booker T. Washington Park, and Emancipation Park in Austin.[11]
[edit]In literature

Ralph Ellison's second novel Juneteenth deals with this holiday and its traditions. Juneteenth was published posthumously.
Carolyn Meyer's novel Jubilee Journey is the story of one young biracial girl celebrating Juneteenth with her relatives in Texas, while also learning to be proud of her African American heritage.

Ann Rinaldi's historical novel Come Juneteenth is the story of how Juneteenth came to be, and follows the life of a young white plantation-owner's daughter in Texas during the Civil War whose family faces tragedy after their mulatto half-sister runs away when learning they lied to her about being free.
[edit]Traditions



Emancipation Day celebration in Richmond, Virginia in 1905.
Traditions include an enunciated public reading of the Emancipation Proclamation as a reminder that the slaves have been proclaimed free. The events are celebratory and festive. Many African American families use this opportunity to retrace their ancestry to the ancestors who were held in bondage for centuries, exchange artifacts, debunk family myths, and stress responsibility and striving to be the best you can be.[12] Celebrants often sing traditional songs as well such as Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; Lift Every Voice and Sing; and poetry from Black authors like Maya Angelou.[13] Juneteenth celebrations also include a wide range of festivities to celebrate American heritage, such as parades, rodeos, street fairs, cookouts, family reunions, or park parties that include such things as African American music and dancing or contests of physical strength and intellect. Some of the events may include black cowboys, historical reenactments, or Miss Juneteenth contests. Traditional American sports may also be played such as baseball, football, or basketball tournaments.[12]
[edit]Juneteenth's decline and resurgence

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States and has been an African American tradition since the late 19th century.[14] Economic and cultural forces caused a decline in Juneteenth celebrations beginning in the early 20th century. The Depression forced many blacks off farms and into the cities to find work. In these urban environments, employers were less eager to grant leaves to celebrate this date. July 4 was the already established Independence Day holiday, and a rise in patriotism among black Americans steered more toward this celebration.

The Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s yielded both positive and negative results for the Juneteenth celebrations. While it pulled many of the African American youth away and into the struggle for racial equality, many linked these struggles to the historical struggles of their ancestors.[14]

Again in 1968, Juneteenth received another strong resurgence through Poor Peoples March to Washington D.C. Rev. Ralph Abernathy’s call for people of all races, creeds, economic levels and professions to come to Washington to show support for the poor. Many of these attendees returned home and initiated Juneteenth celebrations in areas previously absent of such activity. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Juneteenth continued to enjoy a growing interest from communities and organizations throughout the country as African Americans have an interest to see that the events of 1865 in Texas are not forgotten. Many see roots tying back to Texas soil from which all remaining American slaves were finally granted their freedom.[14]
[edit]Modern Juneteenth Movement

Most recently in 1994, the era of the "Modern Juneteenth Movement" began when a group of Juneteenth leaders from across the country gathered in New Orleans, Louisiana, at Christian Unity Baptist Church to work for greater national recognition of Juneteenth. The meeting was convened by Rev. John Mosley, director of the New Orleans Juneteenth Freedom Celebration.[15]
Several national Juneteenth organizations were ignited from this gathering beginning with the National Association of Juneteenth Lineage (NAJL), followed by the National Juneteenth Celebration Association (NJCA), the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC), and the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF). Shortly before this gathering, Juneteenth America, Inc. (JAI) was founded by John Thompson, who organized the first National Juneteenth Convention & Expo, and the National Juneteenth Celebraton Foundation (NJCF) founded by Ben Haith, the creator of the National Juneteenth Flag.[16] In 1996, inspired by the rich history and the desire to support Juneteenth celebrants world wide, the global Web portal Juneteenth.com, was established to facilitate communication and sharing of ideas between Jueteenth participants and supporters. In 1997, through the leadership of Lula Briggs Galloway, president of the NAJL, and Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., chairman of the NAJL, the U.S. Congress officially passed historic legislation [17] recognizing Juneteenth as "Juneteenth Independence Day" in America.[18]

In 2000, the annual Washington Juneteenth National Holiday Observance and the campaign to establish Juneteenth Independence Day as a National Day of Observance was established. As of 2011, 39 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation to officially recognize Juneteenth.[19] The annual Congressional Juneteenth Reception, hosted by members of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, was established as a part of the Washington Juneteenth National Holiday Observance.

The annual National Day of Reconciliation and Healing from the Legacy of Enslavement and the National Juneteenth Black Holocaust "Maafa" Memorial Service were included in the Washington Juneteenth National Holiday Observance.[20] On the "19th of June", 2000, Juneteenth leaders stood with Congressman Tony Hall (D-OH) as historic Apology for Slavery legislation was announced at the U.S. Capitol during the 1st National Day of Reconciliation & Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement.[21] This was followed by the 1st World Day of Reconciliation and Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement, on the "20th of August", in Richmond, VA, in 2010.
Concerned about the loss of jazz venues in the African American community, Juneteenth leaders established "June Is Black Music Month!" CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH JAZZ – "Preserving Our African American Jazz Legacy!" with a series of Juneteenth jazz heritage and arts festivals, concerts, jam sessions, and lectures throughout the country. [22]

The "Modern Juneteenth Movement" continues to work to pass legislation in the U.S. congress to establish Juneteenth Independence Day a National Day of Observance.[23]


OK, now if that wasn't enough information about this holiday, here's a website about Juneteenth:

www.Juneteenth.com

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I am in control of my attention. By mastering my attention, I control my choices, and master the dream of my life. I can create anything I want to create. I can do anything I want to do. The dream of my life is going to go wherever I want to take it.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

Lading Puaka Trailer v2 - Specialized Weapon in Malay Martial ArtsTrain...

I posted a video trailer about the use of this particulsr weapon before. This is a longer video about the use of this weapon. the description of this video from YOU TUBE is below the video.




Uploaded by bobazhar69 on May 20, 2011

Excerpt from the upcoming training video.

This training video explores alternative methods of handling lading and covers the basic aspect for protecting oneself and maximizing self defense prowess.

One person told me lading is used only to give a fatal blow to the attacker, this video will show otherwise.

No clips were speed up but instead need to be slowed down. Tons of graphic and editing still required to complete the training video. Hope to release within the time we set.

Category:

How to & Style

Tags:

Martial art lading cekak Malay Silat. Malaysia

License:
Standard YouTube License

COULD THIS BE TRUE?

NYPD probes alleged confession of Tupac shooter | Raw Replay


Posted on 06.17.11
By Stephen C. Webster

Categories: Featured, Nation

The New York Police Department said it was investigating a report by AllHipHop.com, which claims to have the exclusive confession of the man who shot and robbed Tupac Shakur in 1994.

A man named Dexter Isaac, currently serving life in prison in New York on a murder-for-hire scheme, said that James Rosemond — better known as “Jimmy Henchman” — paid him $2,500 to carry out the deed.

Rosemond is currently on the run from authorities following an indictment over his alleged involvement in the cocaine trade.

This video is from the Associated Press, published Friday, June 17, 2011.

Jury awards $82,000 after woman is arrested when asking police for a business card | OregonLive.com

Jury awards $82,000 after woman is arrested when asking police for a business card | OregonLive.com


A Multnomah County jury awarded a 33-year-old woman $82,000 Thursday, saying they wanted to send Portland police a message: Hand over a business card the next time a citizen asks for one.

Several jurors who spoke to The Oregonian after the verdict in Multnomah County Circuit Court said police weren’t dealing with an urgent or dangerous situation on the evening of Feb. 13, 2009 — when Shei’Meka Newmann questioned what she thought was an unnecessarily rough arrest of a fellow MAX rider. It would have taken only a few seconds for an officer to hand Newmann a card, jurors said.

“I think that police need to be reminded that it’s part of their job to de-escalate and defuse situations,” said juror Chris Bolles.

Instead, jurors say police overreacted to Newmann’s queries.

After Newmann saw Officer Aaron Dauchy pull a 29-year-old black man off the train and handcuff him on the ground, she asked him why the man was under arrest. Dauchy asked her why it was her business.

She responded that she was a concerned citizen, to which Dauchy replied he didn’t have to tell her unless she was the man’s attorney.

Newmann then asked Dauchy’s partner, Officer Jim Sandvik, for a business card. But he refused, took her ID, then said he planned to exclude her from TriMet.

Newmann testified said that she said she’d be fine because she can drive her car to work. And that when she stepped toward the officer to read the name off his uniform and jot it down on a piece of paper, Sandvik struck her in the upper chest. He also twisted her arm so hard she thought it was going to break, before handcuffing her, she said.

She was taken to jail and released early the next morning with no money, cellphone or shoelaces.

Sandvik, however, told a very different story. He said Newmann was screaming, angry and demanding — and had approached him from behind as he was trying to deal with four drunken men. Sandvik also said Newmann ignored repeated lawful orders to get back.

Deputy City Attorney Jim Rice argued that officers have a legitimate reason to tell civilians to stand back when they approach from behind — there’s a risk the civilian might grab an officer’s gun or stab the officer from behind.

“If people don’t comply ... there is a consequence,” Rice said.

What’s more, Rice said, “You don’t have a right to a card when you want it. You have a right to the card if it doesn’t impede law enforcement.”

Jurors, however, said they watched minutes of TriMet video, which showed multiple officers standing around doing nothing much.

Newmann also testified that she never saw Sandvik talking to four drunken men.

Part of her testimony was backed up by Officer Paul Valdez, who testified Newmann was polite and didn’t do anything that could be considered interfering with an officer, which was what she was charged with doing.

Rice argued that Newmann had a distorted view of what happened that night: For one, video didn’t show Officer Dauchy pulling the man off the train as roughly as Newmann described. That man has been arrested 117 times — mostly for minor misdeeds such as not paying MAX fare or disorderly conduct — and he wasn’t supposed to be riding MAX that night because he had been excluded.

Newmann’s attorney, Greg Kafoury, said he understands the police officers’ “incredible frustration” with such a repeat low-level offender. And that despite the city’s argument that Newmann overreacted to what she saw, “it doesn’t really matter. She has a right to ask for a card,” Kafoury said.

Kafoury said the disrespectful treatment of Newmann doesn’t do much to help relations between the young black community and police.

The criminal case against Newmann was dismissed when Sandvik didn’t show up to court. He said he had a migraine headache.

Newmann said she was hesitant to sue but did so because the students she mentors encouraged her to stand up for what is right.

Newmann was bounced between eight group and foster homes as a pre-teen and teen. She graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School as a star varsity athlete with a 3.8 GPA. She’s been a foster mom and taught Sunday school. She also has worked as the mailroom administrator at Wieden+Kennedy for years.

In 2007, she was given the mayor’s Spirit of Portland Award for her volunteer work with Jefferson High School students during her lunch breaks.

Her attorneys — Kafoury and his son, Jason Kafoury — describe Newmann as an upstanding citizen who has a passion for helping disadvantaged youth and young adults. After her arrest, her reputation suffered when some church members gave her the cold shoulder and parents pulled their children away from her.

“It takes great courage for a citizen to stand up to the power of police,” said Greg Kafoury. “But aside from Shei’Meka’s integrity, we salute Officer Valdez” and other officers who could have testified for the city but didn’t.

The jury found 10-2 that police committed battery against Newmann, and that she was falsely arrested and maliciously prosecuted.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Life is like dancing.
If we have a big floor, many people will dance.
Some will get angry when the rhythm changes.
But life is changing all the time.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

QUOTE OF THE DAY

What message am I delivering to myself? When I deliver truth and love to myself, I am happier, and just by being happier, the people around me benefit. My effort is really for everyone, because my joy, my happiness, my heaven are contagious.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

Slapping Medicine Man, a 1491s film

This video is funny as hell, but I think most everybody needs a medicine man like this one from time to time...

I posted the video description from YOU TUBE below this video.



Uploaded by the1491s on May 26, 2011

A super traditional Indigenous Medicine Man (Noah Ellis) slaps around comedian Tito Ybarra, Dallas Goldtooth and Ryan Red Corn

Concept by Tito Ybarra. Filmed & Edited by Dallas Goldtooth and Ryan Red Corn. Filmed in the back of Buffalo Nickel's office in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.

Category:
Comedy

Tags:
slappingmedicineman titoybarra dallasgoldtooth powwow ceremony peacepipe nativeamerican 1491s pawhuska

License:
Standard YouTube License

DANNI EL PERFORMING THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!!!

Acoustic Performance with 3 Acts
Location: Genghis Cohen
Time: ‎7:30PM Friday, June 17th

Hey Everybody!!! If you live in Hollywood, and want to spend this friday night having some food and drinks while listening to some of the sweetest music you ever heard,
Come on over to the Genghis Cohen and check her out!

Here's a little taste of what she can do...

8 people who turned career disaster into success - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Finance

8 people who turned career disaster into success - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Finance


Investopedia staff, 12:27, Tuesday 14 June 2011


It may be a cliché, but how you respond to failure has a great impact on your overall success. These eight prominent people suffered major career setbacks, but the reason you've even heard of them is because they dusted themselves off and got back in the game.

1. James Dyson
James Dyson's bag-less vacuum cleaners made him famous. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, his net worth in 2011 is said to be £1.45 billion, and he certainly doesn't need to do his own hoovering.

But it hasn't all been plain sailing for Dyson. In fact, Dyson designed his new-fangled vacuum way back in 1978. After four and a half years and more than 5,000 prototypes, the Dyson vacuum was born. But what you might not know is that no manufacturers or distributors would buy or launch the product in the United Kingdom. Dyson was short of money and getting further into debt.

However, Dyson's determination spurred him on, and after failing to sell his invention to the major manufacturers, he set up his own manufacturing company.

Today, Dyson outsells many of the companies who rejected his idea and his invention has become one of the UK's most popular brands.

2. John Caudwell

Mobile phone entrepreneur John Caudwell came from humble beginnings in Stoke on Trent, but his mobile phone emporiums are certainly a far cry from his first job sweeping a pottery floor in the midlands.

It was in 1987, while working as a used-car salesman, that he noticed the first of the new mobile phones. The phones were the size of bricks and set you back a staggering £1,500, but Caudwell saw a market.

He bought 26 mobiles at £1,350 each from Motorola, and spent the next eight months flogging them for £2,500 to the likes of plumbers, taxi drivers and television repairmen.

Although there wasn't yet a big market for cell phones, Caudwell knew he was in a crucial business. He believed he had backed the right horse, and his bet paid off: These days The Caudwell Group employs 8,500 staff, turns over £2 billion and sells 26 mobile phones a minute.

3. Phillip Green

Sir Phillip Green's £4.1 billion fortune is a far cry from the 'half crowns' he earned working as a teenager in his mum's shops in Croydon in the 1960s.

Green faced adversity early on in life - his father died of a heart attack when Green was only 12. The death of his father left him the head of the family business in shoe retail, so he set out to learn the ropes. Soon, what he didn't know about shoes wasn't worth knowing.

In 1979, Green heard tell of 10 designer gear outlets going out of business. He took a risk, and bought up the entire stock for extremely low prices. He sent the clothes to the dry cleaners, then hung and wrapped them in polythene. He sold them at a huge markup.

In 1988, Green was forced out of his role as a manager of discount clothing stores by shareholders who weren't satisfied by the falling profit levels; in 1999, he launched a takeover bid against Marks and Spencer, which was staunchly blocked by shareholders.

But Green refused to be deterred, and continued down the path of becoming a billionaire with a huge stake in high street fashion. Since then he has overturned the fate of Bhs and the entire Arcadia Group — sending profits on a gentle upward annual trajectory.

4. JK Rowling

Inventing the magical mystery world of Harry Potter has made JK Rowling phenomenally wealthy, but the lifestyle she now enjoys is a world away from the one she inhabited when she dreamt up the character.

Living off welfare payments in "grotty and depressing" government housing, Rowling developed Harry Potter's world as a means of escape.

A Scottish Arts Council grant helped her to pay for a typewriter, which she used to write the manuscript that would eventually become a global hit. But not before it was rejected by 12 publishing houses. Bloomsbury agreed to publish the book in 1997 — and the rest is history. The Harry Potter series has sold more than 400 million copies worldwide, making Rowling the first author to make it onto the Forbes billionaires' list.

5. Richard Branson

Branson was born to a decent family in Blackheath, London, but he didn't do well in school. It wasn't just a challenge for him, it was a nightmare. His dyslexia meant his true talents went unnoticed.

When Branson saw an opportunity to set up a discount record-mail order business, he seized it, and with his magazine experience, made it such a success that he was able to open several record stores.

In 1972, he launched his own music label, Virgin Records; in 1984, Virgin Atlantic Airways was formed, followed by Virgin Mobile in 1999.

Today, the Virgin Group encompasses more than 400 companies, and Richard Branson is the fifth richest person in the United Kingdom, with an estimated net worth of approximately £2.58 billion.

6. Alan Sugar

Sir Alan Sugar is well known for his rags to riches tale. Brought up on a council estate in Hackney, he is now worth an estimated £770 million.

His entrepreneurial bent started young. Before even his teen years he had a number of "enterprises" on the go: A milk and paper round, shifts at the baker's and greengrocer's, selling his home-brewed ginger beer to the neighbours and factory discards to the rag-and-bone man.

His first business was selling car aerials from the back of a van he'd bought with savings for £100. At 21, he founded Amstrad and by 1970 his first manufacturing project was in full swing.

Sugar attributes his success to "hard graft".

7. Simon Cowell

TV's Mr Nasty is one of the most recognisable faces in the UK — and one of the richest — but having dropped out of school at 16, how did he have the drive and determination to go on to become one of the world's most influential figures?

Cowell's first job in show-business was perhaps not the glamorous start we might expect, working as a runner on the set of The Shining and reportedly polishing the infamous axe used by Jack Nicholson in the famous horror movie! But he did not get along well with colleagues and bosses, and eventually his father who was helpfully an executive at the recording giant EMI Music Publishing, managed to get him a job in the mail room.

After tiring of shuffling envelopes, his first move of any real note came when he helped form E&S Music in the early 1980s. Despite offices in a converted gents' loo in a Soho car park, it was responsible for a number of hit records, and was Cowell's first big break.

In 1989 Cowell's record label Fanfare went under and he lost everything. Cowell had to start over with nothing. He owed over £300,000 in loans which took three or four years to re-pay.

But Cowell has since worked his way back to the top of the entertainment industry and is estimated to have a fortune of £200 million, making him the sixth richest person in the British music industry.


8. Will Smith

Will Smith, who started out as a goofy rapper and sitcom star, is now arguably one of the most famous names in Hollywood. From his beginnings with Jazzy Jeff and his years as the Fresh Prince, he has now transitioned to a major Hollywood name - and even his kids are in on the act.

But in the early days, Smith almost lost it all before it began, as he freely spent money and underpaid his income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against Smith and took many of his possessions. In 1990 Smith was nearly bankrupt when the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air', around him.

This was a turning point for Smith, and the start of a successful acting career. His careful study and drive paid off, and today he is the only actor in history to have had eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the domestic box office.

The road to success

The road to success is rarely a smooth one. But what many self-made millionaires have in common is a desire to succeed and the tenacity to plough on when the world has knocked them down.

Even if you don't dream of extreme wealth, determination, confidence, and perseverance can go a long way in life, even if you're starting from the very bottom.

More from Investopedia.com

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I change the world by changing myself. I am changing the world by loving myself, by enjoying life, by making my personal world a dream of heaven. I change myself, and just like magic, other people start to change.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

HAPPY FLAG DAY!!!

Today, I would like to take a little time to honor the FLAG of the United States of America.

If you want to know what flag day is, click HERE.

I just had to post this...

Feminists are gonna hate this article, but Perverts are going to love it...

Click on the words below to read this article:

Looking at Breasts is Healthy

Top 10 Spiritual Questions Answered - 9

Staged or What? Woman Comes Up and Gives Eddie Long a Big Wad of Cash

Normally, I'd be putting this story in my "YOU GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!!!" category. But you know what... You can't knock the hustle, pimps do what pimps do... and mindless sheep are meant for the slaughterhouse.

If you want to see a pimp in action, click on the words below:

Staged or What? Woman Comes Up and Gives Eddie Long a Big Wad of Cash

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The more love we have,the more love we can share and receive. To give to one another and receive from one another is the purpose of a relationship. We don't need a lot of words. When we share our time with someone, what is important is to communicate with feelings, not with words. But if we want to share words, we don't need anything complicated. What makes you happy is not the love that other people feel for you, but the love you feel for other people.
~Don Miguel Ruiz

Report: New FBI rules permit agents to snoop without firm evidence | The Raw Story

The Police state marches on...

Report: New FBI rules permit agents to snoop without firm evidence | The Raw Story

WASHINGTON – The Federal Bureau of Investigation intends to start allow agents to track subjects without firm evidence of wrongdoing, several keyed-in officials tell the New York Times.

Existing rules say the FBI's roughly 14,000 agents need to formally open an inquiry in order to tap the agency's comprehensive database and surveillance methods. The new rules reportedly say that agents can utilize these resources without having to show evidence of criminal or terrorist activity, even for low-level investigations called "assessments." The updated manual also eases up a restriction on administering a lie-detector tests as well as searching a person's trash.

The Times reports that the more lenient rules entail greater oversight for tracking "public officials, members of the news media or academic scholars" -- the manual states that legitimate members of the new media include prominent but not low-profile bloggers.

The easing up of regulations has rubbed privacy and civil liberties advocates the wrong way.

"Claiming additional authorities to investigate people only further raises the potential for abuse," former FBI agent Michael German, who now works for the American Civil Liberties Union, told the Times.

Privacy concerns mount as FBI agents get more leeway

The FBI is granting new powers to its 14,000 agents that some civil rights activists say could lead to constitutional abuses. Newsroom America

http://www.presstv.ir/usdetail/184514.html

HIGHLIGHTS

The new changes, contained in a forthcoming new edition of the agency's manual, the Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide, add to numerous other expansions of investigative authority granted to agents over the past decade. Newsroom America

The F.B.I. recently briefed several privacy advocates about the coming changes. Among them, Michael German, a former F.B.I. agent who is now a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, argued that it was unwise to further ease restrictions on agents' power to use potentially intrusive techniques, especially if they lacked a firm reason to suspect someone of wrongdoing. NY Times

"Claiming additional authorities to investigate people only further raises the potential for abuse," Mr. German said, pointing to complaints about the bureau's surveillance of domestic political advocacy groups and mosques and to an inspector general's findings in 2007 that the F.B.I. had frequently misused "national security letters," which allow agents to obtain information like phone records without a court order. NY Times

FACTS & FIGURES

Currently under the assessment category, which was created in December 2008, agents must open an inquiry before being able to search for information about someone in a commercial or law enforcement database. The new rules will allow agents to search those databases without making a record about their decision. Newsroom America

Under the current rulebook, agents can't administer a lie-detector test until they open a "preliminary investigation," which requires a factual basis for suspected wrongdoing (unlike the assessment). The new rules will allow agents to use lie-detector tests not just on suspects, but on potential informants, in an investigation considered an assessment. Theatlanticwire.com

Similar to the relaxed restriction on lie-detector tests, agents will be able to search the trash of a potential informant as part of an assessment. Theatlanticwire.com

The special rules governing agents' and informants' attendance of meetings and surreptitious participation in organizations on which they are gathering information haven't been made public. But the new rules clearly state that agents or informants can freely attend five meetings of an organization before those rules apply.

WHAT A BIG FUCKING SURPRISE!!! (Yes, I'm being sarcastic)

Well, it seems the pharmaceutical companies are CORRUPT! WOW! WHO'D HAVE THUNK IT!!!

Click on the words below:

Burzynski the Movie

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I am one half of my message. Other people are the other half. I am responsible for what I say, but I am not responsible for what people understand. Other people are responsible for what they understand. They are the ones who give meaning to every word they hear.
~Don Miguel Ruiz