mindtrance

I say only with a hint of sarcasm. Almost 2 million dollars is a hell of an achievement in such a short period of time (24 hours). The two previous money bombs raised much more but there's a very good reason for that.

I believe that this last money bomb didn't have the same exposure as the others and it wasn't started soon enough. I actually discovered this was going on by accident after emailing them with a suggestion to do one on Martin Luther King's Day and at the same time boycotting FOX.

I did some searching and found that very idea was being organized already so it made me content. I didn't however hear about this money bomb until yesterday in a email late in the evening. It felt like poor planning on someone's part. I told everyone person that would listen about it for the last week.

The important thing is if you read around the web you will hear stories of first time voters coming out to donate. People who are young and old that have never cared enough to vote are going to now. It's an important shift in the right direction. People are stoping payment on their car insurance and riding a bike to work just to donate that extra money because they believe in his message.

Why does that seem so insane to some? People donate money every Sunday because they believe in a cause from someone who they have faith. It seems people even if marginal compared to some other's are starting to believe. They are tired of the lies, manipulation and death. We are the "greatest nation in the world" according to some, so why don't we act like it? We have established military bases in almost every part of the world which costs us billions to keep going, but we have people in our own country starving. It's a sad state of affairs.

Ron Paul suggests that if China wanted to build a Military base in the United States we wouldn't have it and I agree. Why would someone else want us to do the same? If they ask for it maybe that's different but we don't really give people a choice it seems. We are off trying to save the world and meanwhile the outside view of us is much different.

I think we should take care of our own and lead by example in education, poverty, and stop focusing on people as groups and more as individuals. Religion, Race and Gender shouldn't matter... we are American and we are all human beings.

Posted by Justin at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Here are a few Animal Totems I found interesting.

Wolves are the epitome of stamina, known to run 35 miles a day in pursuit of prey. They are highly misunderstood animals, who have gained the reputation of being cold blooded. In reality wolves are friendly and social creatures. Aggression is something they avoid, preferring rather to growl or create a posture to show dominance.

Even though living in close knit packs provide wolves with a strong sense of family, they are still able to maintain their individuality. Wolves represent the spirit of freedom, but they realize that having individual freedom requires having responsibilities.

Because wolf is a teacher and pathfinder, he comes when we need guidance in our lives. Those who have a Wolf Totem will move on to teach others about sacredness and spirituality. Wolf can also teach how to balance the responsibility of family needs and not to lose one's personal identity.

Wolf teaches us to develop strength and confidence in our decisions. He shows we will learn to trust our insights once we learn how to value our inner voice. This wisdom keeps us from inappropriate action. If wolf appears in your life examine where you need to develop more confidence and if you need more balance between friends, family, and yourself.

--------------

Although bears are thought to be ferocious carnivores, they are actually quite playful and eat less meat than some smaller animals -- supplementing their diets with plants and fruit. Bears are astonishingly swift for their size, running 35-40 mph in short distances.

The most common bear is the black bear. This name can be misleading since some black bears are various shades of brown. The Grizzly is most famous for its ferocious strength but is not aggressive by nature. The largest bear is the Alaskan Brown Bear who is a relatively solitary animal. The "cute" Polar Bear is the most aggressive of all bears -- the best hunter and the most dangerous.

Bear teaches us to respect our natural hibernation cycles. Just as Bear rests during winter and reawakens during spring, we need spaces of rest and rejuvenation. Bear calls us to awaken the potential within ourselves and the power of our unconscious mind. Bear reminds us there is a time for playfulness and a time to be assertive.

--------------------------

ragonfly eggs are laid within their territory near the water. Once hatched, these nymphs will live nearly two years on the bottom of streams and ponds. As they reach adulthood an amazing thing occurs, they transform into dragonflies and ascend to the air. In the air, they travel with wings that sparkle with spectacular colors by reflecting and refracting light and other colors. No insect or bird can maneuver as well as a dragonfly. Flying up to 30 mph, they will twist, turn, move up and down, fly backwards, even change directions instantaneously and still will spot movement 40 feet away.

The power of Dragonfly lies in its ability to see around things by looking from different angles. Using its ability to transform colors and lights by reflecting and refracting them, Dragonfly shows us that life, like light, can bend, shift, and adapt in various ways, making life's appearance never be what it appears to be. Dragonfly's magic shows us to see through life's illusions and find our true vision. It calls us to transform within our lives and reminds us to feel deeply so we will have the compassion necessary to help ourselves and others.

-----------------------

Butterfly spends the first part of its life crawling the earth, before metamorphosis leads it to spin a home for stasis (known as a cocoon). After transforming, Butterfly is reborn as various beautiful colored winged creatures of the air.

This insect is extremely sensitive to the Harmony of Earth, and is the first creature to leave a damaged ecology. Butterfly's graceful dancing-like appearance on flowers reminds us to find the joy in nature and make it a part of our life.

Butterfly enters our life as a messenger for change. If it comes to us hurt or ill, Butterfly asks us to stop keeping our joy at bay. It may take some time being alone with ourselves to listen to Butterfly's gentle requests that we allow the natural transformation of things in our lives.

Posted by Justin at 8:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)