Ancient Ice Shelf Breaks Free from Canadian Arctic

As an update to my last entry, today CNN reports that the 41-square mile Ayles Ice Shelf, one of the six major ice shelves which remain in Canada's arctic, broke off the coast about 16 months ago. According to scientists, this "disturning event" shows "we are crossing climate thresholds."

Island Disappears Beneath the Waves

This week, an article in The Independent entitled “Disappearing world: Global warming claims tropical island” seems to confirm for the first time that an inhabited island has been officially washed off the face of the Earth by rising seas. “The obliteration of Lohachara island, in India's part of the Sundarbans where the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers empty into the Bay of Bengal, marks the moment when one of the most apocalyptic predictions of environmentalists and climate scientists has started coming true.” Refugees fled to neighbor islands which are doomed to similar fates; a total of 70,000 people will soon become homeless due to global warming.

The Independent also reported eight years ago when the first uninhabited islands, in the Pacific nation of Kiribati, “vanished beneath the waves.” One may remember when the tiny island nation of Tuvalu was evacuated in 2001. Another article from 2002, “Global Warming & Rising Oceans” by Florida State University oceanographer Jeffrey Chanton, Ph.D., explains that rising oceans are eroding coastal areas and submerging low-lying islands. He suggests the “near future could see millions of ‘climate refugees’”, and recommends alternative fuel sources to alleviate the problem. His references include great links to scientific studies, online maps of sea levels, and a personal carbon counter to estimate your own CO2 emissions.

By now most people have seen or at least heard about Al Gore’s movie An Inconvenient Truth, about global warming. What have we done to our planet, and can it be saved?

“The world is sacred. It can’t be improved. If you tamper with it, you’ll ruin it. If you treat it like an object, you’ll lose it.” –Tao Te Ching #29

Thanks to www.wanttoknow.info

Merry Christmas!

Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka, warm Hawaiian wishes this Christmas! Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all.

Keith Olbermann

Very brave commentary on the loss of civil liberties in our new age. If you haven't seen it yet check it out.

The Christmas Truce

On Christmas in 1914, just a few months after the start of World War I, German and British troops along the Western Front held an unofficial cease-fire, meeting each other in No Man’s Land, exchanging gifts, burying their dead, singing Christmas songs and playing ball together. This incredibly moving story has inspired many articles, a song and a movie, Joyeux Noel, a French film nominated for Best Foreign Language film in the 78^th Academy awards. David G. Stratman wrote about it in his book, We Can Change the World. Here is an article from the London News in 1915, along with an illustration of the event.

Tom Morgan writes, “The image of opposing soldiers, shaking hands with each other on one day and then deliberately trying to kill each other the next, is a powerful one, and one which is part and parcel of remembrance of the Great War. It was, perhaps, a last example of open-handed chivalry before the squalor and horror of the next three years changed the old world for ever.” His site also includes remembrances from soldiers who were there.

As much as war is an obvious moneymaking racket for so many rich and powerful people, one cannot help but think, how much power is in the hands of those who do the actual fighting, and that the possibility of peace may be closer than we realize – all it would take is the softening of hearts.

“He who is centered in the Tao

can go where he wishes, without danger.

He perceives the universal harmony,

even amid great pain,

because he has found peace in his heart.” –Tao Te Ching, #35

Thanks to Wanttoknow.info.

Eat Your Apple Seeds

"Everyone should know that most cancer research is largely a fraud…" - Linus Pauling PhD (1901-1994) Two times Nobel Prize winner.

Vitamin B17 (also called Amygdalin or Laetrile) is one of the most controversial substances in cancer research. It is a nitriloside, which occurs naturally in fruit seeds, some berries, flax, millet, and some beans, leaves, grasses and nuts. Touted as a cure for cancer several decades ago by Dr. Ernst T. Krebs, it has since been discredited by orthodox medicine as “quackery.” Respected researcher Dr. Kanematsu Sugiura was fired after refusing to publish false test results on Laetrile – he stood firm in his belief in it. One of the most famous proponents of B17 is G. Edward Griffin, whose book, video and articles attempt to explain what the fuss is all about.

These and other researchers contend that cancer is little more than a deficiency disease, much like scurvy or pellagra. In cultures that eat foods high in nitrilosides such as the Hunza or the Eskimo, cancer is unheard of. But today, our modern diets have all but eliminated this vital nutrient. The medical establishment, on the other hand, has worked hard to undermine confidence in this substance. Their “official” reason? Because it contains a molecule of cyanide. But Mr. Griffin’s video and many other articles and websites explain how the molecule is uniquely absorbed and used by the body: the only enzyme that can break it down exists only in a tumor cell, so in a sense it becomes a kind of “cancer smart-bomb,” and is neutralized in the body’s other healthy cells.

Of course many also contend that the pharmaceutical industry has a lot of financial incentive to ensure that vitamin B17 remains illegal and unacceptable by the medical establishment. Unable to patent a naturally occurring substance (and thereby in risk of losing a $200 billion a year industry), a war is being waged on the forefront of cancer research – each side supporting various studies on its effectiveness. In fact it is even illegal to sell Laetrile as a cure for cancer in the U.S. – and some have gone to jail for it. Despite this I found information online about proper dosages and “The Little Cyanide Cookbook” which explains how to prepare foods high in Vitamin B17. Foods containing B17 include berries, beans, nuts (especially the bitter almond), and various veggies – but the most is found in apricot seeds (the little seed found inside the pit) and apple seeds – in fact it’s said three apples a day, including the seeds, could prevent cancer.

What’s that old saying, an apple a day? Could be more important than we know.

"...when government officials spend money on weapons instead of cures;...all this is robbery and chaos. It is not in keeping with the Tao." -Tao Te Ching #53

Free Hugs

A man in Sydney, Australia walks around a mall holding a “Free Hugs” sign…and what do you think happens? If you haven’t yet seen this three and a half minute YouTube video, now’s the time. I keep coming back to it because it’s so heartwarming, and the movement continues to grow. First released in September on YouTube, by November the video had over seven million views. The story is amazing, and there is more to it…Good Morning America aired it, and the man, calling himself “Juan Mann”, even recently appeared on Oprah. The Sydney Morning Herald covered it here. Here is another article about it – and here is the official website. Wikipedia has a great overview too, and links to much more about it. It started a worldwide movement…and Juan Mann isn’t the only hugger to face problems; in China huggers were thrown in jail!

Let’s all give someone a hug today and make the world a better place.

“The Master is available to all people and doesn’t reject anyone.” -Tao Te Ching #27

The Quickening

“Practice not-doing,

And everything will fall into place.” Tao Te Ching, #3

As the world hums along on its ever-quickening pace I often wonder, is time speeding up, or is it just me? No one disagrees that just in the last century our world, its economy, populations, and technologies have advanced at an increasing rate. How often to we take time to stop and smell the roses anymore? Multi-tasking has now become routine and many see idle time as wasteful or unproductive. This value is a relic of the Protestant work ethic; some say it’s what has made our country unique. Certainly it has fueled our leadership in many scientific and technological fields, though the decline of moral values and the increase in violence and fraud – including war - seem to be the dark side of this obsessive-compulsive tendency.

James Gleick wrote a book called Faster in which he describes the accelerated pace of everyday experience over the course of the ‘manic’ 20^th century - from so-called ‘hurry sickness’ (waiting anxiety) to automatic appliances, express mail, speed-dialing, the internet, and a general increase in type-A personality flaws that cause people expect fast service and are rude or impatient when it’s not. Time is money, believes this over-worked society with busy schedules and demands for instant gratification. Our stress levels have increased to match this quickening pace and it’s making many of us sick. “Future shock” and “information fatigue syndrome” are two terms created to describe this phenomenon.

But is time actually speeding up? Most people will tell you, it only seems that way as you get older, as each increment of our lives become ever smaller parts of an increasing whole. An hour seemed like an eternity when we were five; at fifty, it seems to go by in a flash. Or maybe it’s what we’re doing with that hour; waiting for a bus can seem eternal, but while having fun with friends, time seems to fly. One is reminded of Einstein’s theory of relativity; time passes slower the faster you travel. It doesn’t matter much to those of us without the opportunity to swing through space at the speed of light; however, it is known that our solar system itself is traveling through the galaxy at dizzying speeds, and that the universe appears to be expanding at an accelerating rate. Could this be influencing our world in ways we’ve not yet imagined?

Terrence McKenna admits, “It has become a cliché of modern parlance and journalism that time is speeding up, that history is moving faster and faster.” He suggests “we have entirely misunderstood the character of time”, and believes we are “…on a collision course with a temporal vortex of some sort…wrapping ourselves around a cosmic endpoint of some sort.” Montalk suggests there is a shift from 3D to 4D in which “linear time is giving way to nonlinear time…with a shift in priorities, trivialities fade into a repeating background pattern while spiritual events (leaps in awareness and maturity) increase in their frequency and novelty, both of which lead to the perception that time is speeding up for different reasons.” Others such as 2012 Unlimited suggest humanity is going through a shift in consciousness and that time is actually speeding up as we enter a new era. Some like Gregg Braden believe the Schumann resonance (like the Earth’s heartbeat) is increasing in frequency, causing us to experience the equivalent of 16 hours in a day instead of 24. Skeptics debate this view. Interesting to note the earth’s rotation is actually slowing down, causing scientists to add an extra “leap” second to our atomic clocks last year.

In response to this increasingly complicated and hurried way of life, some are making an effort to slow down. Wikipedia has a page on the Slow Movement, an attempt to slow down the pace and savor the good things in life. Check out slowdownnow.org, funded by ‘the international institute of not doing much.” Or how about the Slow Society, created as an alternative to the short-sightedness of a fast-paced society. I appreciate the sentiments – but what a shame we need to be reminded. As for myself, I continue to struggle with the expectations of this frantic world. For the first time in my life, this past year or two, I’ve had the luxury of staying at home, and I never hear the end of the questions, “what are you doing with your time? what do you do all day? what do you do to keep busy?” As if sitting on my porch enjoying the Hawaiian sunset isn’t enough. It’s tough to Surf the Tao in today’s world – but at least I have the words of Lao Tzu to comfort me. True wisdom seems foolish, remember.

“Therefore the Master acts without doing anything.” - #2

11:11 Phenomenon

“We work with being, but non-being is what we use.” –Tao Te Ching #11

As we approach 11/11, I want to mention the phenomenon surrounding those numbers. About two years ago I noticed that for some reason I always checked the time when it was exactly 11:11. When I mentioned it to my husband, he said the same thing had been happening to him. Soon after it escalated to include 1:11, 3:11, 9:11; nearly every time we looked at a clock, it was 11 minutes after the hour. Since we are both aware of numerological and other types of synchronicities, we knew it had some significance but couldn’t quite place it. Since then we’ve been hearing the same thing all over the place from all kinds of people.

Those who are into numerology and the symbols used in various secret societies probably already know about the strange reoccurrence of the number 11 in the events on September 11, 2001. You can find more about this online, here is one example.

Similar coincidences are found for the numbers 11.11. The WWI armistice was signed at 11:11 AM on 11/11/18. World War II ended on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month. The Berlin Wall fell on 11/11/89. Supposedly the Mayan calendar end year 2012 is timed at 11:11 Universal time; the U.S. Navy lists the 2012 solstice for 12/21/12 at 11:11 Universal time. Yasser Arafat died on 11/11/04. JFK was assassinated on 11/22. Wikipedia lists the events, births, deaths, holidays and observances on this day. Interesting to note that 1.11111111 squared = 1.2345678987654321 and 111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321, like a count-up and count-down, or pyramid. I discuss the number 11 in my book Surfing the Tao, which was published before I started noticing the 11:11 phenomenon on clocks, because in my spirit I sensed it was important to have at least some awareness of how others think of and use numbers.

Note that the twin pillars are significant Masonic symbols. They are found in our dollar sign, along with an encircling serpent. According to their legends, sacred knowledge was inscribed upon two pillars called Boaz and Joachim, which were then lost in a great flood. Pythagoras and Hermes Trismegestus supposedly found them later and passed this wisdom on to others. Also it should be noted that the numbers 11, 22 and 33 are considered “master numbers” to occultists. Aleister Crowley revered the number 11 and considered it to be an object of magic, believing it was more powerful than the number 13, which to those ‘in the know’ is just a red herring in terms of power numbers.

The number 11 means different things to different people. It’s considered a ‘bad’ or ‘unlucky’ number to the Hebrews; for them ‘11’ stands for transgression of the law, rebellion, sin, war, sorcery and martyrdom. To others it represents the ‘Old World Order’ (thus the destruction of the twin towers to usher in the New World Order, so they say). According to numerologists, ‘11’ can mean anything from intuition, honesty, spirituality, light, gentleness, and insight to justice, karmic burden and growth in consciousness. Some say it stands for destruction, the battle between good and evil, or the birth of something new.

The 11:11 phenomenon can be found everywhere now – online there are many websites, forums, discussions, blogs and articles about it. There’s even a 4 minute video called “11:11 Wake Up” on Google. Renowned psychic Uri Geller noticed 11:11 too; he believes it is a “pre-encoded trigger placed into our cellular memory banks prior to our descent into matter which, when activated, signifies that our time of completion is near.” He says 11:11 is our wake-up call, and when it happens to reflect for a moment, look larger, ask for help or simply listen for a revelation. Geller asserts that 11.11 is “the bridge to our vitality and oneness. It is our pathway into the positive unknown and beyond.”

Solara says people notice these numbers more during times of “accelerated personal change”, as “a reminder of your true purpose here on Earth”; she also describes an 11:11 Doorway or Gateway, like a crack between two worlds linking two different spheres of energy. She says when you see them, know you are on the right track. 1111spiritguardians.com says the 11:11 reoccurrence is the work of “fun-loving Spirit Guardians, or Angels” to get our attention. Crystalinks says 11:11 can be seen as a key to unlock the subconscious mind, to remind us that we are spirits having a physical experience, rather than the other way around. Graham Tucker also wrote about 11:11, noting some crop circles with this design. Many more links to 11:11 synchronicities can be found here. I also found it interesting to look up 11:11 (Chapter 11, etc.) in different books of the Bible and other spiritual sources.

For me, numbers resonate in different ways, and in the grand scheme of the multi-dimensional universe we live in, I know enough to pay attention to them. 11:11 has happened to me so many times now I just laugh, and think of it as God winking at me. They are like messages from the Universe, little synchronicities and signs that at the very least, confirm for me that there is a much bigger, much more elaborate plan in the works than my puny mind can comprehend. What does it mean that so many people are experiencing the 11:11 phenomenon, I can’t be 100% sure; simply that those of us who do sit up and pay attention is what I believe is important at this point. “Wake up”, as the video warns. Perhaps it’s just another guidepost on our journey towards Surfing the Tao.

Scientists Create Cloak of Invisibility

Another news item from Wanttoknow.info(for the full ABC news article click here): "Scientists are boldly going where only fiction has gone before to develop a Cloak of Invisibility. It isn't quite ready to hide a Romulan space ship from Capt. James T. Kirk or to disguise Harry Potter, but it is a significant start and could show the way to more sophisticated designs. In this first successful experiment, researchers from the United States and England were able to cloak a copper cylinder. It's like a mirage, where heat causes the bending of light rays and cloaks the road ahead behind an image of the sky. "We have built an artificial mirage that can hide something from would-be observers in any direction," said cloak designer David Schurig, a research associate in Duke University's electrical and computer engineering department. Cloaking used special materials to deflect radar or light or other waves around an object, like water flowing around a smooth rock in a stream. The new work points the way for an improvd version that could hide people and objects from visible light. Conceptually, the chance of adapting the concept to visible light is good, Schurig said in a telephone interview. But, he added, "From an engineering point of view it is very challenging." The cloaking of a cylinder from microwaves comes just five months after Schurig and colleagues published their theory that it should be possible. In an ideal situation, the cloak and the item it is hiding would be invisible. An observer would see whatever is beyond them, with no evidence the cloaked item exists.

Note: Remember that technologies developed in top-secret military, intelligence, and other government projects are generally at the very least 10 years in advance of anything being developed in the public domain."

Scientists teleport two different objects

From WantToKnow.info: "Physicists in Denmark have teleported information from light to matter bringing quantum communication and computing closer to reality. Until now scientists have teleported similar objects such as light or single atoms over short distances from one spot to another in a split second. But Professor Eugene Polzik and his team at the Niels Bohr Institute at Copenhagen University in Denmark have made a breakthrough by using both light and matter. "It is one step further because for the first time it involves teleportation between light and matter, two different objects. One is the carrier of information and the other one is the storage medium," Polzik explained in an interview on Wednesday. The experiment involved for the first time a macroscopic atomic object containing thousands of billions of atoms. They...teleported the information a distance of half a meter but believe it can be extended further. "Teleportation between two singe atoms had been done two years ago by two teams, but this was done at a distance of a fraction of a millimeter," Polzik, of the Danish National Research Foundation Center for Quantum Optics, explained. "Our method allows teleportation to be taken over longer distances because it involves light as the carrier of entanglement." Quantum entanglement involves entwining two or more particles without physical contact." For the full article click here.

Discernment

If you want to shrink something, you must first allow it to expand. If you want to get rid of something, you must first allow it to flourish. If you want to take something, you must first allow it to be given. This is called the subtle perception of the way things are. The soft overcomes the hard. The slow overcomes the fast. Let your workings remain a mystery. Just show people the results. Tao Te Ching #36 (trans. Stephen Mitchell)

RFID Chip in Passports

From Want to Know.info: An article in the Washington Post reveals new plans to add RFID chips to our passports.

If you have a passport, now is the time to renew it -- even if it's not set to expire anytime soon. In many countries, including the United States, passports will soon be equipped with RFID chips. And you don't want one of these chips in your passport. RFID stands for "radio-frequency identification." Passports with RFID chips store an electronic copy of the passport information: your name, a digitized picture, etc. And in the future, the chip might store fingerprints or digital visas from various countries. By itself, this is no problem. But RFID chips don't have to be plugged in to a reader to operate. Like the chips used for automatic toll collection on roads or automatic fare collection on subways, these chips operate via proximity. The risk to you is the possibility of surreptitious access: Your passport information might be read without your knowledge or consent by a government trying to track your movements, a criminal trying tosteal your identity or someone just curious about your citizenship. Security mechanisms are also vulnerable, and several security researchers have already discovered flaws. One found that he could identify individual chips via unique characteristics of the radio transmissions. Another successfully cloned a chip. The Colorado passport office is already issuing RFID passports, and the State Department expects all U.S. passport offices to be doing so by the end of the year. Many other countries are in the process of changing over. So get a passport before it's too late.

How to Know?

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." -Goethe

As came up in my last radio interview, there are quite a few different points of view regarding otherworldly or ‘non-human’ entities who have, are or will influence our world - angels, demons, aliens, ancient gods, ethereal masters, spirit guides and the like. Debate arises when one attempts to determine, are they good guys or not, and how do we know for sure? Early on in my blog I touched on this; Aliens: Gods or Demons? is one example, and True Masters is another angle, along with my article The Good Guys.

My mission is to attempt to help people find and use their own sense of discernment in these matters. It’s why I wrote my book. The truth is within us; in fact this is one way to tell if a guide is really a friend or not – they will tell you (if they tell you anything at all, for real good guys rarely interfere): the truth is within yourself. We just have to learn to access it. That’s what good guys like Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Krishnamurti, Ueshiba and others have tried to explain. It’s also why in my book I placed much of their wisdom next to topics like UFOs and secret societies; it’s a great way to learn how to think about such things. There is a Way to Know. The Chinese called this Way the Tao. It’s pulsing through you right now. Do you have the ears to hear?

“...Over twelve years ago, a group of individuals from several different worlds gathered at a discreet location in our solar system near earth for the purpose of observing the alien intervention that is occurring in our world. From their hidden vantage point, they were able to determine the identity, organization and intentions of those visiting our world and monitor the visitors’ activities. This group of observers call themselves the ‘Allies of Humanity.’” You can read their first book free online here (Thanks, Kingsley). Their message is to warn us that the various “alien visitors” to our world have not come to “promote the advancement of humanity or the spiritual education of humanity…As has occurred in your own world in your own history, the first to reach the new lands are the explorers and the conquerors. They do not come for altruistic reasons. They come seeking power, resources and dominion…The challenge is for humanity to understand who its allies really are and to be able to distinguish them from its potential adversaries.” According to the Allies, spiritually advanced races do not engage in regular space travel, commerce or interfere with other worlds - they prefer to remain unseen.

“They bad guys love to disguise themselves as the good guys,”- Surfing the Tao: A Revolution of Free Will. The Allies write, “The visitors will try and create the impression that they are ‘the allies of humanity.’ They will say they are here to save humanity from itself, that only they can offer the great hope that humanity cannot provide for itself, that only they can establish true order and harmony in the world. But this order and this harmony will be theirs, not yours. And the freedom that they promise will not be yours to enjoy.” These visitors seek to gain our “trust and… devotion,” telling people they’re here to “uplift humanity spiritually, to give humanity new hope, new blessings and new power…once this allegiance is established, it becomes increasingly difficult for people to discern what they know within themselves from what is being told to them. It is a very subtle but very pervasive form of persuasion and manipulation.” “Subtlety is the name of the game.”-Surfing the Tao.

So how do we know? The Allies claim not to want any relationship with our world, nor will they interfere on our behalf; rather they say they are only here to help us advance mentally and spiritually to the point where we can discern and act for ourselves before it’s too late. In contrast to the 'visitors', they “advocate a spirituality…not the spirituality that is governed by nations, government of political alliances, but a natural spirituality – the ability to know, to see and to act…In the Greater Community, spirituality is embodied in what we call Knowledge, Knowledge meaning the intelligence of Spirit and the movement of Spirit within you. This empowers you to know rather than only believe. This gives you immunity from persuasion and manipulation, for Knowledge cannot be manipulated by any worldly power or force…If you can respond to Knowledge and learn a Greater Community Way of Knowledge, you will be able to see these things for yourself. Then you will confirm our words rather than only believe them or deny them. The Creator is making this possible, for the Creator wills that humanity prepare for its future…Knowledge enables you to think in a number of ways, to act spontaneously, to perceive reality beyond the obvious and to experience the future and the past.”

Are these “Allies” good guys themselves? Look within yourself for answers. Dharmacist Edward Namerdy in his book Another Place in Space wisely suggests we “see what we believe,” rather than merely “believe what we see.” Lao Tzu said, “The Master observes the world but trusts his inner vision.” From Ueshiba, "On occasion the Voice of Peace resounds like thunder, jolting human beings out of their stupor." Bernard Bromage wrote, "The wise man is he whose ears are very attuned to the Divine Whisperer, and who, through all the delusions of a cheaper civilization, hears the Voice." And lastly, from Hosea 14:9,"Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them."

Another Radio Interview

Aloha! Last night I participated in my second radio interview about my book, “Surfing the Tao: A Revolution of Free Will”, this time with Rob McConnell at his X-zone radio program. It was a pretty interesting experience, considering he didn’t read my book. I felt put on the spot at times but hey, that’s what you get when you write a controversial spiritual book like mine. After it was over I went through the angst of “I should have said” – though after listening to it again today I think it went about as well as it could.

To listen, click here and push the “Play Now” button to the right of my bio on the September 5th archive. My interview comes on about 2 hrs and 8 minutes into the program, and you can fast forward to that point, and through the commercials, either with the right-arrow or by dragging the ‘clip position’ ball to the right.

Celestial Secrets

“A global array of inexplicable stone megaliths stands as a haunting reminder of a past long gone, of knowledge long forgotten…or is it?” – Surfing the Tao: A Revolution of Free Will

Alternative and free energy technology has been a favorite topic of mine since starting down this journey into the strange and unexplained. Much of my early research created an awareness of some kind of mysterious power source used in very ancient times, which could have been passed down to certain elite groups even today. I’ve found some tantalizing tidbits in various places – The Atlantis Blueprint by Colin Wilson and Rand Flem-Ath connects ancient sacred sites like the Great Pyramid and Stonehenge into a complex network centered around Giza as the prime meridian. In their model all of these ancient sites (including Rosslyn, Jerusalem, Babylon, Machu Picchu and many others discovered after their grid was determined) fit together in a neat geometrical grid around the planet.

Another researcher, Bruce Cathie, has written several books about a planetary energy grid. He discovered that these same ancient sites were located on points within this grid indicating specific connections to light, gravity and mass, “It appears as though Stonehenge was constructed to the universal geometric harmonics of light itself.” (p. 170, The Energy Grid) He believes they had specific functions connected to power production, communication, transportation, healing and perhaps other things as well, and questions why there is 'feverish, government-based' activity at these locations. Tesla himself knew his technologies needed to be located at specific points on the earth’s surface to work properly. Other sites which discuss ley lines, geodesic energies and the alignment of sacred sites can be found here.

Technologies such as HAARP, ELF, weather modification, electromagnetic and advanced psychotropic weaponry could be utilizing a global array which harnesses that same energy source used long ago by ancient cultures. And who knows what other advances are out there. Once can find rumors that the delta-shaped blimp, a possible source for many UFO sightings, is actually a military project which uses electrokinetic propulsion – resulting in a silent, floating ship. Also an alleged holographic technology can beam realistic images and audio anywhere.

Cathie believes the main reason much of this technology is being kept secret is because of the financial consequences should this knowledge be released. National security is at stake too – although it’s rumored that many other countries already have and are likely using these technologies. Right now the oil giants reap the most benefits of our out-dated energy systems, but this is likely to change. Tesla Motors recently announced the development of a powerful electric car which, though still expensive and in its early stages, could revolutionize our dependence on oil. Another researcher also recently came out with a controversial new energy discovery, now being hotly debated in the halls of science. And there are many others out there who understand the science behind alternative and free energy, and are working against great odds to get the truth out – not only about the technologies still beyond our reach, but about how keeping them secret creates the danger they could be used for the wrong reasons. It’s truly a brave new world, and we’d be better off knowing a little more about it – both for our own sake, and for the sake of our planet.

"A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is." - Lao Tzu

Surfing the Tao On the Radio

Aloha! I did my first radio interview the other day about my book, "Surfing the Tao: A Revolution of Free Will." You can listen here or go to Contact Radio - The Sixth Sense and look for the archive dated 8/8/06 (NOT the evening one). "The Master travels all day without leaving home." - Lao Tzu

My Dad

My Dad is so cool He reads my blogs Even though he can barely surf a dot.com or send an email He Surfs the Tao at my page

Kindness, love, compassion Quiet, thoughtful, intelligence

My Dad rules; We should all be more like him.

Who Killed the Electric Car?

From www.WantToKnow.info: A poignant new documentary asks who killed GM's promising electric car project? A new documentary released June 28 in New York and Los Angeles, appropriately titled Who Killed The Electric Car? tries in Clue-like fashion to figure out why GM pulled the plug on its EV1 electric vehicle program, which by most accounts was approaching success when the first prototype was introduced in the mid-1990s. "It was a revolutionary, modern car, requiring no gas, no oil changes, no mufflers, and rare brake maintenance," according to a synopsis of the film. In the 1990s a strict clean-air mandate introduced in California that called for zero-emission vehicles was what led GM to introduce the EV1. Eventually that California mandate got watered down from "zero" to "low" emissions, and the automakers decided to literally blow up their EV programs. GM, which leased out the EV1 cars it produced, called them all back after California changed its policy. The cars were crushed and shredded. Who were the people leasing these vehicles? Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson and Ted Danson, among others, many of whom appear in the movie and talk favourably about their electric cars. If the implications of an advance means loss of future business to a paradigm, the key players of that paradigm will lobby to kill it. The paradigm? Big oil. Similarly, the auto industry has an interest in perpetuating the manufacture of vehicles that require routine, costly maintenance.

Note: For more information and showing times on the highly revealing Who Killed The Electric Car, visit www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com. For even deeper information www.WantToKnow.info/newenergysources

Mercury Retrograde

Hello, readers and fellow bloggers. Usually I like to post little articles or info here but I’ve been busy and distracted lately, so I thought I’d write a short personal entry. We’ve had company this summer; it was nice to see everyone but it kind of zaps my otherwise ‘thoughtful’ energy. Also all kinds of weird things have been going on. Some friends have told me Mercury has been in retrograde since July 4 – I’m not huge into astrology and usually don’t follow these things, but I have to say things have been WEIRD – one thing after another. People getting strange illnesses, cars getting stolen, other various run-ins with traffic tickets and confrontations with authority, relationship weirdness and just basically bad vibes. As my husband puts it, there is a disturbance in the Force! Current events in the Middle East, the earthquake/tsunami, and the heat wave/power outages are just other examples of how things seem to swirl together to create a feeling of general unease.

I have been concentrating on staying centered and unaffected, but it’s not easy. Simple, maybe, but not easy. I’ve been trying to stay under the radar and not make any big movements or decisions, at least until Mercury does its thing, I think it’s until July 28. Again, not that I put all my faith there but hey, better safe than sorry. Maybe I'll be more inspired next month! Anyone else out there had a weird month?

“The Master observes the world but trusts his inner vision. He allows things to come and go. His heart is open as the sky.” –TTC #12

Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali poet, writer, educator and composer who lived from 1861 until 1941. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913 with his collection of poems, "Gitanjali". One of his songs is still the national anthem of India. He exchanged letters and ideas with many other influential people of his time, including Gandhi and Einstein. I would like to offer one of his letters here, written from his school in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India on 26 October 1917, to his friend in England, artist William Rothenstein, for I believe it contains wisdom and relevance to today’s world.

My Dearest Friend,

It has given me a deep pleasure to know that my last three books you like. I had my fear that my American lectures, especially those about nationalism, might give offence to my readers in England. Possibly to some extent they have done so. But most of the reviews that I have seen in your papers are extremely mild. Some critics have taxed me with having misunderstood the meaning of the word ‘nation’. I suppose it is one of those words whose meaning is still in its process of formation. If you really mean by that word the peoples who have the consciousness of a common tradition and aspiration then why do you exclude us Bengalis from its category? For you are never tired of reminding us that we do not belong to a nation. When we try to understand you we find that our tradition and aspiration are of a different character from yours – it is more religious and social than political. Therefore it seems to me that the word nation in its meaning carries a special emphasis upon its political character. Politics becomes aggressively self-conscious when it sets itself in antagonism against other peoples, specially when it extends its dominion among alien races. This convulsive intensity of consciousness is productive of strength but not of health. The rapid growth of nationalism in Europe begins with her period of foreign exploration and exploitation. Its brilliance shines in contrast upon the dark background of the subjection of other peoples. Certainly it is based upon the idea of competition, conflict and conquest and not that of cooperation. The unselfish people have not completely lost their self, only the selfish ones put stronger emphasis upon it and thus have a special designation. And the people with an aggressively emphatic politics is a nation. The [professional man] has very often a special attitude of mind. There he feels an intense satisfaction if he can sell a lame horse at a price which is dear even for a sound one. Because in [his] profession [a] man has no other object before him but success. He may have an exalted standard of life in his private capacity and yet as a professional man his conduct may go entirely against that standard, without disturbing his appetite for dinner. Therefore it is not unusual to find rapacious landlords who are extravagant in their generosity. That grasping professional attitude of mind makes a nation of a people when it furiously pursues success and takes it to be a sign of sentimentalism to budge an inch from its reckless path of power at the dictates of humanity. What I have said in my lectures is that such an attitude of mind in a whole people of a country, such constant self-idolatry by all kinds of ritualism and human sacrifice must go against moral providence of the world ending at least in a catastrophe.

By some unexpected freak of fate I was caught in a dust storm of our politics. I have just come out of it nearly choked to death. I am more convinced than ever that a poet might do worse than write mere verses. Try to be true to yourself by all means but not to be truer which is a hollow temptation set in our path by moral teachers.

Give my love to [your] dear children and tell them not to grow too fast before I come to see them. Because that will be unfair to me who can only grow older without growing at all.

Ever yours

Rabindranath Tagore

Tao Te Ching

If you want to be a great leader, You must learn to follow the Tao. Stop trying to control. Let go of fixed plans and concepts, And the world will govern itself.

The more prohibitions you have, The less virtuous people will be. The more weapons you have, The less secure people will be. The more subsidies you have, The less self-reliant people will be.

There fore the Master says: I let go of the law, And people become honest. I let go of economics, And people become prosperous. I let go of religion, And people become serene. I let go of all desire for the common good, And the good becomes common as grass. -#57

Lao Tzu says it so much better than I could. One imagines our world is too far gone now to try not-doing – and yet, we can all learn from this wisdom, and dream of a better world.

The Law of Attraction

“The life force is all-pervasive and its strength boundless. The Art of Peace allows us to perceive and tap into that tremendous reserve of universal energy.” - Ueshiba, The Art of Peace

Today we find much discussion regarding the evolution of consciousness and the realization that we take part in the creation of our reality; books like The Tao of Physics and films such as What The Bleep Do We Know!? and The Secret track our coming of age on these topics. Modern day physicists, spiritualists and free thinkers are beginning to realize that truth lies somewhere between outdated concepts of ‘science’ and ‘religion.’ If we think, speak and visualize in positive ways, the law of attraction plays a role in amassing positive outcomes for our lives.

“Our world is made up of interlocking wavelengths of light. Matter is a matter of opinion. When you speak into this quantum void, you are creating your own reality whether you know it or not, constructing and deconstructing the ‘frozen music’ that makes up our reality.” – Surfing the Tao: A Revolution of Free Will

These ideas are not in fact ‘new’, but can be found within many of our world’s spiritual traditions. Each culture and era phrases it differently, but the importance of this spiritual law hasn’t changed.

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” – Proverbs 23:7

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought.” – Buddha

Oftentimes people wonder about the difficulty of controlling one’s thoughts; or what one should be visualizing for themselves. The good news is, if we can find a grateful, loving and positive frame of mind, we can put these questions out to the Universe, and it will take care of the details for you. Some say “let go, let God” and this is a good way to put it.

“Peace originates with the flow of things – its heart is like the movement of the wind and waves. The Way is like the veins that circulate blood through our bodies, following the natural flow of the life force. If you are separated in the slightest from that divine essence, you are far off the path.” –The Art of Peace

Surfing the Tao refers to simply choosing love for the direction of your actions; allow the Tao (God, Brahman, the Force, the Great Spirit…whatever you call it) to flow through you, and hop on for the ride of your life. Truth is simple - Walk the Walk; Live the Way. Use various methods – you can use a long board or a short board, right-footed or left, but you’re still allowing the wave to carry you. I suggest this revolution of thought, of our free will, is radical and yet of utmost importance in today’s world. Learn to create a new reality in harmony with the Tao. Choose love and watch your life, and the world, transform.

“…There is evil and disorder in the world because people have forgotten that all things emanate from one source. Return to that source and leave behind all self-centered thoughts, petty desires, and anger.” –The Art of Peace

Live and Learn, or You Won't Live Long

I’ll be honest, folks, there are days I just throw up my hands and think, there’s no use bothering anymore. It’s just impossible to open minds that are already set in their ways. I would put my life on the line for free speech and the right of the individual to their own opinions, but where’s the love? Can we disagree and still be civil to each other? Can we respect differing points of view and still be neighborly? Are we willing to learn from each other, to listen, or are we all just talking too loud to hear anyone else?

There are wars going on in every facet of our lives. Military wars with guns and killing are just part of it. There are wars of words here at home, and everywhere, so much so I sometimes wonder, am I the only person who read Machiavelli? Isn’t anyone else out there aware of the fact that while we set our jaws and spew hatred at each other, we are just falling into a trap? Liberals vs. conservatives, people of faith vs. atheists, pro-life vs. pro-choice, rich vs. poor, black vs. white, blue vs. yellow, McDonalds vs. Burger King…hello, people, we’re missing the point here. We’re over-complicating our lives, our society, and our world. We’re too busy arguing amongst ourselves to take a walk outside the box. I don’t care if you’re liberal, conservative, religious, spiritual, atheist, purple with blue lumps or have three arms…choosing to be loving, or at the very least, neighborly, would go a long way towards improving our society. Instead of so freely making assumptions, throwing labels and accusations around, and blaming each other for whatever, we’d be better off setting aside one day a week to really read and listen to others, and maybe keep our mouths shut for a moment while we do. That goes for everyone – politicians, talk show hosts, bloggers, teenagers, senior citizens, celebrities, pet owners, CEOs, homemakers – I don’t care who you are or what you believe, none of us knows everything, none of us is 100 per cent right – and none of us knows the whole truth. We could all benefit from a little continuing education.

Let’s find the love. Let’s find common ground. Let’s listen, learn and open our minds. Or is it already too late?

A real Jurassic park?

From Free Press International

Surfing the Tao

“Surfing the Tao” is a phrase created in an attempt to nutshell what could be the most important aspect of spiritual truth, or the Way of Life. A reader once sent me a great quote, “It is a lot like surfing... you catch a wave by being prepared, timing your move and having your board in position. Like surfing, you have some control, but the Flow has all the power.” Since I live in Hawaii the analogy seemed appropriate; and indeed there is a certain zen to the sport.

If you’re just hearing about “Surfing the Tao” here are a few bullet points. It’s not about any particular religion; it’s about how we choose to live each moment, although it does contain spiritual concepts from all corners of the world. We can argue endlessly about who is ‘right’ – but we could be just missing the point. Each person has their own path to walk, and we all find truth in our own ways. However, as our greatest sages have remarked, eventually our paths will all converge on the Great Path.

Our great spiritual teachers have all encouraged love in the search for enlightenment. Many have defined “God” (or Tao, Father, Force, Beloved, Brahman, Great Spirit; whatever) as that flowing consciousness of love, the goal being to become “one” with this Force. So the basic idea of “Surfing the Tao” is choosing love for direction of your actions. The truth is simple – not easy, but simple. Still your mind and instead listen to your spiritual nature, that which is connected to the Tao, the Force. Allow the Tao to flow through you, and hop on for the ride of your life. Use various methods – you can use a long board or a short board, right-footed or left, but you’re still allowing the wave to carry you.

Surfing is an individual sport, and Surfing the Tao is a silent, inner revolution of spirit. The outer world will not provide the whole answer. Truth is within you; amplify the Voice by tuning in to love. Then, one person at a time, we can change our reality to one of peace and harmony.

Save the Internet

"Your ability to share and consume information online may soon be limited..." Check out Save the Internet for more info.

Vaccines, Mercury and Autism

There are a number of recent articles and studies regarding the connection between immunizations given to children and autism, which is a developmental disability characterized by anti-social behavior and repetitive movements. The main culprits are thought to be thimerosal and other mercury-based preservatives contained in some vaccines, but also include formaldehyde, aluminum phosphate, antibiotics, phenols, aluminum salts, methanol, isopropyl, 2-pheozyethanol, live viruses and “a host of known components considered off-limits as trade secrets,” according to an article in the World Net Daily.

An article in The Hill on June 3, 2006 by Jeffrey Young reports that parents of autistic children are claiming a cover-up by the CDC on this link. The CDC responds on its website, “The weight of currently available scientific evidence does not support the hypothesis that vaccines cause autism. We recognize there is considerable public interest in this issue, and therefore support additional research regarding this hypothesis. CDC is committed to maintaining the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history.”

The National Institutes of Heath has quadrupled its financing for research into this question since 1997. But last year the top three public health agencies held a press conference in which they stated that there was no proven link between vaccines and autism. They maintain it’s more dangerous for children not to receive immunizations from diseases such as mumps, rubella and influenza. But many parents, as well as other researchers, are not convinced. There has been a reported 6000% to 13,000% increase in childhood autism since the 1990s, depending on the location. Before 1990, autism was rare, about one in every 10,000 children; now nearly one in every 150 children is being diagnosed, and this has prompted outrage and lawsuits in many communities. There is an outcry for more independent research, as many claim the government agencies are conspiring to “poison” our children with toxic levels of mercury and other chemicals.

Thimerosal was first introduced as a preservative in the 1930s by Eli Lilly. According to a study published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons by Dr. Mark Geier, and David Geier, “U.S. infants are exposed to mercury levels [which] far exceed the EPA and FDA–established maximum permissible levels.” They note a strong epidemiological link between neurodevelopmental disorders and mercury exposure. But despite the outrage, it hasn’t been removed from many of the vaccines. Dr. Geier suggests that the rates of autism would decline so abruptly, the connection would become obvious and a deluge of lawsuits would follow. Several companies have even admitted the mercury levels contained within the vaccines are other than is what is stated on their labels – if this is truly the case who knows what else they’re putting in there without our knowledge.

The United States is not alone in the controversy. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has written a book and many articles on the subject, stated, “six years ago, autism was unknown in China. We started giving them our vaccines in 1999. Today there’s 1.8 million cases of autism in China.” Australia has experienced a 276% jump in autism disorders. Russia banned thimerosal from children’s vaccines and their autism rates have remained unchanged. In the UK, where the mercury-based vaccine was introduced in 1989, the autism rate spiked from one in 2200 children in 1988 to one in 166 in 2001.

One anomaly exists within the Amish population, which doesn’t take vaccines. Their autism rates are almost non-existent, certainly nowhere near the epidemic 1 in 166 proportions indicated elsewhere.

At least this possible mercury-autism link is being discussed openly today in our major media. However, it remains that parents are often coerced into allowing their children to be vaccinated and not told of these possible complications. In Maryland, parents on welfare lose $25 per month per child without immunizations – even though they are not legally required. Many school systems do not allow unvaccinated children to attend, and physicians often refuse to treat a child without them.

One must consider that the pharmaceutical industry is a business. Is it possible such a business would make even more money should people get sick from their vaccines? Do we really trust them to be working for our best interests, rather than their own? Did you know that Bayer, the company which makes Cipro, the treatment for Anthrax, started out in Germany working for Hitler? These companies are capitalists, not philanthropists. One shudders to think of the day vaccinations are required by law. Until then Surf the Tao, live every moment in love - even if others aren’t.

An Inconvenient Truth

Here's the trailer to Senator Gore's new documentary on global warming.

Weather Modification

"Others [terrorists] are engaging even in an eco-type of terrorism whereby they can alter the climate, set off earthquakes, volcanoes remotely through the use of electromagnetic waves. So there are plenty of ingenious minds out there that are at work finding ways in which they can wreak terror upon other nations and it's real, and that's the reason why we have to intensify our [counterterrorism] efforts." -- Secretary of Defense William Cohen at the Conference on Terrorism, Weapons of Mass Destruction, and U.S. Strategy, University of Georgia, Athens, Apr. 28, 1997. SOURCE: DEFENCE LINK

Last year a Weather Modification bill was presented to Congress (March 3. 2005, S. 517, H. 2995) whose purpose is stated as, “It is the purpose of this Act to develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated national weather modification policy and a national cooperative Federal and State program of weather modification research and development.”

The Weather Modification Organization, which supports this bill, was organized in 1950 “to cultivate a better understanding of weather modification techniques, impacts, and expectations among program sponsors, program operators, and the scientific community, and to promote ethical professional conduct and a free exchange of information. Weather modification can be both planned, as is the case in cloud seeding (cloud modification), or inadvertent, for example, when pollution affects visibility. Planned (deliberate) weather modification is also commonly known cloud seeding, cloud modification, and atmospheric water management.” This association’s stated goals are, “Promoting research, development and understanding of weather modification for beneficial uses.”

Other groups are protesting this bill, trying to stop experimental weather modification without agricultural and public oversight. Global Research reported that this bill is on the fast track, and that it, “would allow experimental weather modification by artificial methods and implement a national weather modification policy, [but] does not include agriculture or public oversight.”

Rosalind Peterson has worked as an agricultural technologist and for the USDA Farm Service. In 1995 she became a certified USDA Farm Service Agency Crop Loss Adjustor. She claims that this bill could adversely impact crops and water supplies, because “if the weather is changed in one state, region or county it may have severe consequences in another region, state or county.” Also, since most weather modification programs use chemicals released into the atmosphere the public could be subjected [to] increasingly toxic or unknown substances that could adversely impact agricultural crops and trees.” Chemtrails are now termed 'exotic weapons ' by the government. She notes that trimethyl aluminum and barium are just two of such chemicals used in recent atmospheric heating and testing programs, according to NASA. Further she writes, “the Alaska HAARP atmospheric heating program may have the capability of changing the jet stream which could also change our weather.” Rosalind Peterson can be contacted at info@californiaskywatch.com.

HAARP, or High Active Auroral Radio Program, is a series of transmitters of sufficient signal strength designed to turn the aurora borealis into a virtual antenna. Essentially it is a giant ionospheric heater, erected for a number of purposes. Publicly its goals are earth penetrating topography and deep sea communications. But its executive summary states, “In 2025 the U.S. aerospace forces can ‘own the weather’…weather-modification offers a dilemma not unlike the splitting of the atom…”

Scientific American also reported that HAARP influences the weather, and may have caused the Florida tornado outbreak in 2000.

An article on “Discovery News” reports that 2005 was a weird year for tornadoes. A NASA article wonders why when hurricanes are typically known to lack lightning, the record-setting hurricanes of 2005 (Rita, Katrina and Emily) had a lot of it.

A fantastic overview of weather modification and its consequences can be found Free Press International, including eye-opening video.

One needs only do a search on “weather modification weapons” to find dozens of sites discussing this horrifying topic. Do some research on scalar weapons for information on developments in this field. Tom Beardon is an expert in this field, and he states, “I guess the first thing to try to comprehend is that a "new" kind of electromagnetic (EM) wave has been discovered in the empty vacuum of space which, when engineered, can be an inexhaustible supply of energy in great magnitude at any place in the universe. The word "new" is in quotes because the discovery really goes back to Nikola Tesla and his discovery of what he called "radiant energy." It is also not "new" because the Russians (KGB) have been working on this technology for over 30 years and have weaponized these "new" longitudinal scalar waves to a great degree. These are the weapons Nikita Khrushchev spoke of in January, 1960.”

"By 1957-8 the Soviets had progressed to the point of a giant scalar EM accident in the Urals which exploded nearby atomic wastes, devastating the area. They had also progressed to development of great new superweapons using their new energetics - weapons to which Khrushchev referred in 1960 when he informed the Soviet Presidium of a new, fantastic weapon in development, a weapon so powerful that it could wipe out all life on earth if unrestrainedly employed.'" Tom Bearden After over 30 years of development, and extensive testing around the globe, these new scalar electromagnetic weapons are up and running and ready to go. Bearden, at his website Cheniere, dicusses the history of these new scalar electromagnetic weapons in his paper "Historical Background of Scalar EM Weapons."

Another very interesting article, entitled, “Weather Modification a Long-Established, Though Secretive, Reality” can be found here: argues, “the new legislation [is] not designed to foster pleasant or productive weather, but planned as tool of weaponized weather control, already well tested and in use since 1976. Amateur and hostile weather-makers alike likely to lose their technology to the military.”

Going back to Secretary Cohen’s remarks in 1997, perhaps we as a country might be well advised to take a closer look at what is really going on with our weather. Global warming? Or weather wars? The truth could be frightening, but increased awareness might help alleviate an even greater fear should the worst possible scenario arrive for you and your community in the future. Surf the Tao to a world of love, peace and harmony.

American Patriotism

The Random House dictionary defines a patriot as one who “defends his or her country and its interests,” but it also regards a patriot as a “defender, esp. of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.”

Our country today is troubled not only with another war abroad, but with a war of words at home. On one side are those who defend the present government without question. They are angered by those on the other side, who speak out against policies and decisions made by those in power today. Both sides claim patriotism, but to what? Could it be that our differing definitions of ‘patriotism’ could be undermining the stability of the very country we are all claim to be defending? Lao Tzu wrote in his Tao Te Ching, “When the country falls into chaos, patriotism is born.” Has it gotten that bad already?

The Revolutionary War was fought by so-called ‘patriots’ – those who sought freedom from a government they didn’t agree with. Did Britain consider them to be patriots? In a sense these ‘patriots’ were actually rebels, engaged in what they considered to be a righteous rebellion against tyranny. Adlai Stevenson said, “Do not... regard the critics as questionable patriots. What were Washington and Jefferson and Adams but profound critics of the colonial status quo?”

And what issues did our founding fathers have with this ‘tyrannical’ rule of the time? Our forefathers sought freedom from taxation without representation; they sought religious freedom; they sought freedom of speech and expression; they sought self-rule. The resulting Declaration of Independence and Constitution attempted to provide a satisfactory alternative to rule by monarchy.

Especially since 9/11, many argue that some of these freedoms have been curtailed, ironically by the USA Patriot Act, and other acts of government in which the general population had no say. Was it done, as they say, to protect our freedom? I suppose, as I believe Donald Rumsfeld once said, that we can have freedom or security, but not both. Of course now we are at war as well, and many cry out in against those who choose not to support our government in this effort, claiming such people are un-patriotic.

I support our troops without question. Those men and women didn’t start the war, they are just doing their duty, which happens to be following orders - many times to the death. I applaud these people for their fortitude and stamina in this seemingly unending war against terrorism. Regardless of the arguments some make about Iraq not having WMDs, or that Iraq didn’t destroy the WTC, or that war is a means to profit for the elite – these men and women in uniform aren’t to blame and should have our gratitude and respect.

But to call someone un-patriotic for questioning their government? Of course the government itself feels slighted, so as Henry Steele Commager said, “Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive.” But going back again to the days of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, certainly these men would support the right to speak out. They hoped the republic they created would provide a balance between the rulers and the ruled. They provided the right to free speech and to bear arms – not so people could run around yelling and killing each other, but so they could defend themselves from a dishonest government if need be. Certainly the citizenry will not always agree on whether this is the case - but don’t we have the right to disagree? Shouldn’t we at the very least respect each other’s opinion, and take the time to listen to each other? Isn’t that really what it means to be an American?

If you research famous quotes on patriotism the result is surprising. Those who refuse to question the policies of our government might be advised to reread a little history. It’s our job as patriots! I saw a bumper sticker once which said, “Sometimes a patriot needs to defend his country against its government.” And along those lines many famous people have spoken out over the years.

From Teddy Roosevelt, “To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.” (1918)

From Mark Twain: “The government is merely a servant -- merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn't. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them.”

From James Baldwin: “I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”

From Edward R. Murrow: “We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it.”

To be loyal to America doesn’t mean to sit back and allow one administration or another the power to make decisions without debate or dissent. To be a loyal American is to stand up for our original freedoms, to stand up as our forefathers did, as ‘rebellious patriots’, and fight for the rights that made our country great - particularly the right to disagree, without repercussion. This is the heart and soul of America, and when that is gone, then we become Americans in name only. Some argue, this has already happened, but as long as this article remains posted we still have a chance.

Someday soon, I fear, being an “American” could become a thing of the past, in name as well. As Ronald Reagan famously said in 1985, “I couldn't help but say to [Mr. Gorbachev], just think how easy his task and mine might be in these meetings that we held if suddenly there was a threat to this world from another planet. [We'd] find out once and for all that we really are all human beings here on this earth together.” If we are truly on the road to world government, as many believe, we as Americans will have a lot more to fight for someday. If our sovereignty is ever threatened, I can only hope that all Americans – those on both sides of the ‘patriot’ argument today – will come together to defend her from those who seek ultimate power. As Daniel Webster said in 1850, “I was born an American; I will live an American; I shall die an American!”