The Reflecting Pool and

The Reflecting Pool

My grandmother returned to her uncle's plantation home for a final visit before her marriage.  Her mother died in childbirth which led to her being raised in a convent while her dad worked as an engineer on the railroad.  He died on his way to see her engagement ring when his train hit a stretch of bad track.  Her uncle was all the family she had left.
The outside of the plantation home was nothing but painted plywood, the home having been burned by the Yankees after the civil war.  Because they had been treated as sharecroppers, the negroes stayed and continued to work their share of the crops.  The sharecroppers houses out front remained undamaged and were a couple of acres in front of the main house.  Out back, though, the old trees and reflecting pool remained.


My grandmother used to play here with her assigned "servant" whom she merely considered a friend.  As she sat reflecting on those days, a servant about her age approached.  It was Simone, her old friend from her childhood.




My grandmother jumped up and embraced Simone.




"How are you doing, Simone?  It has been forever since I've seen you!"




"I'm doing just fine, Miss Delhomme.  I heard you done got engaged!"




"What's this 'Miss Delhomme' nonsense?  It's Lorraine just lime before.  Yes, I met a man.  His name is Albert Hamilton Tribe.  He performs on the radio in the Rice Hotel in Houston.  He's so dreamy!  He finally popped the question!  See the ring?  Isn't it beautiful?"




Yes, it's beautiful, Miss Lorainne!  I'd better keep the 'Miss' so the master of the house doesn't think I'm being disrespectful to our guests.  What brings you back to Louisiana, Miss Lorraine?"




"Well, as you know, my father died and I just needed the company of some family.  I'm an orphan now, you know."




"Yes, I know.  I'm sorry, Miss Lorrraine.  Let me give you a hug."




They embraced once again and my grandmother started crying on her shoulder.




"There, there, Miss Lorraine.  We're still here for you and you know that your uncle loves you dearly.  Besides, you'll soon be Mrs. Tribe and you'll have a man to look after you."




"Yes, I know.  It's just hard losing my father.  We were so close even though he rarely got to come home.  It's a shame about all of those hobos who died in the wreck.  My dad wasn't supposed to let them ride but he could never turn down a poor person who needed a hand.  My step-mother took all of the money from the train company.  She was always so jealous of me.  Dad had to sneak away to come visit me at the convent."




"It's sad, Miss Lorraine.  She sure weren't mother material.  As much as you hated that convent, you were probably better off than being raised by THAT selfish witch.  I feel for you."




"So, is Uncle Curtis still treating you alright?  Have you married yet?"




"Your Uncle Curtis is treating me just fine.  Things were tight last year because of the bad crops but he saw that we were fed and taken care of.  I sure do miss the extra desert you used to sneak me when you were here when we were young though."




"Haha!  I'll order double again tonight and you'll have your extra dessert."




"Oh, thank you, Miss Lorraine.  It will be just like old times.  Hehe"




"Just like old times.  Now, if you don't mind, could you leave me here alone for awhile?  I have a lot of things to think about at this old reflecting pool."




"Sure thing, Miss Lorraine.  Just ring this bell if you need me.  I'll be sitting in the shack over there catching up on my knitting."




Simone reached in her pocket and pulled out a small, ornate silver bell with an ornate handle and handed it to my grandmother. My grandmother took the bell and put it into her pocket.




"Thank you, Simone."




"My pleasure, Miss Lorraine."




My grandmother turned back to the reflecting pool as Simone walked to the shack.  She stared at the Japanese Carp swimming and floating around the pond and started thinking about her childhood.  She thought about the harp that her real mother owned... and her stepmother despised... and remembered how much she wished that her mother had lived so she could grow up listening to the harp being played as she grew up.  She thought about how much she hated the convent and the cruel nuns who raised her but how much more special that made it she her dad came home to visit.  She thought about how much she missed him and wept awhile.  Her thoughts then turned to her future.  She would soon be married and having children.  She would no longer be mistreated by the Sisters in the convent.  She would leave the church and become a Methodist like her husband.  It was both exciting and scary at the same time.




Ah, the reflecting pool.  She remembered listening to the workers working the fields and singing hymns.  She remembered the feasts after harvest.  She remembered everyone sitting with the workers and eating watermelon on hot days.  It would soon be time to return to her apartment in Houston and get on with the business of planning the wedding.  For now though, she had family and the reflecting pool.

The Swing

The Swing



 The chores were finally finished. The cows were milked, the chickens were fed, the garden had been tended and watered, and the pastures had been brush hogged. The once overgrown mess was now a beautiful pasture where the cows could roam and take a trip to the pond to drink without fear of being struck by snakes hidden in deep brush.
 It looked as if it might rain. That would be good for the crops. It had been awhile since we had decent rain. I asked my grandmother permission to swing since the chores were done. She said okay but come back in if it started raining.
 I got on the swing and let my cares drift away. There wasn't much to do on a farm so I used my imagination. I swung as high as I could, imagining that I was Superman in the comic books I read. I was far away from the big city problems of Houston and my parental discord. I would fly up to the heavens, land on a cloud, and talk with Jesus. I would hear the angels singing in perfect harmony with overtones so clear that you could hear the pronunciation of each word. I would swing and fly, swing and fly. One day I would reach those heavenly clouds but tomorrow was another day of chores.

 I swung and daydreamed until it began to sprinkle then I ran into the house, lay on the bed, listens to my uncle's classical music, and grabbed another Superman comic book to read as I heard the rain splattering on the tin roof. It had been a good day and the crops would get fresh rain. Perhaps tomorrow the sun would shine and we could go swimming in the Mulberry River.

The Release

The Release


It had finally happened.  For all of her prior threats and attempts, she had finally done it. 
He was tired of her always running back to the abuse and using again and told her it was over.  He just didn't care anymore.  He was tired of having his emotions jacked with.  This time he was through and he let her know in no uncertain terms.  Her lies and attempts to drag him into her drama were going to end whether or not she liked it.




"Susan, it's over.  I can't take anymore.  I'm tired of the bullshit.  You've fucked me over and fucked around on me one too many times."



"I'll cut myself.  I'll take all of my pain meds if you do this to me.  I'll drink alcohol with them and you'll never see me again, Bob!  I'll kill myself!"




"Yeah, yeah, yeah.  How many times have you told me that and how many times have you tried?  You end up in rehab, call me, tell me that you're going to get yourself straightened out, then go right back to drinking and doing drugs and fucking every Tom's hairy dick you see!  I'm DONE!"




"No Bob!  You can't!  I love you.  Those other guys didn't mean anything!"




"Yeah, well evidently I didn't mean anything to you either.  They got way more of your pussy than I ever did.  All I wanted to do was love you and male love to you and you slept around like a hairy little TRAMP!  If they turned you inside out, you'd look like a pin cushion.  How much did THEY love you?  How much did THEY sacrifice for you?  A man can only take so much and you pushed me WAY beyond that point.  I MEAN it!  This time it's OVER!"




"I'll kill myself this time!  I really will!"
"Fine!  Kill yourself!"




Bob slammed down the phone and went out to drown his troubles and forget.




Susan started to cut herself but decided on another course of action.  Instead of just taking her sleeping pills this time she would mix all of her pills and wash them down with a bottle of vodka.




As she sat on her bed, she opened the drawer on her bedside table.  She took out each bottle of her meds and unscrewed the tops.  She unscrewed the top from her bottle of vodka and started deciding which pills to take first.




"I'll start with the Dilaudid and let is start making me drowsy then I'll take my antidepressants and my heart medications" she thought.




She took the remaining held bottle of Dilaudid, washing it down with a big gulp of vodka.  Next, she grabbed the antidepressants and slugged them down.  She was starting to feel really drowsy now and was afraid that she might pass out before she got the red of the meds down.




Susan summoned her will and grabbed her blood pressure medications which had just been filled and started gulping them down with large shots of vodka.  It took her a few handfuls to get them all down but she managed to swallow them down.  Once they were down, she put the bottles back in the drawer so no one could see them and finished off the vodka and hid the bottle under the bed. 




She lay in bed for a few minutes and the phone rang.  The called ID showed that it was Bob.




"He must be calling to apologize" she drowsily thought."




She reached for the phone and had massive heart failure.  Yes, she had done it this time.  The blood pressure medications had done the trick.  Her lifeless body lay on the bed, her arm loosely hanging off of the bed.




When she didn't answer, Bob called back.  No answer.  He tried again.  Still no answer.  After the third time he called the paramedics.




When they got there, rigor mortis had started setting in.  Bob was 1,800 miles away so there was no way he could be there but he had instructed the paramedics to call him and let him know.




The phone rang.  It was the paramedics.
"Hello," said Bob.  "How is she."




"I'm sorry to tell you this.  Are you sitting down."




"Yes."




He already knew what they were going to say.




"She's dead."




"I'm sorry.  I knew it had to happen soon or later."




"We're sorry too, Mr..."




"Bob is fine."




"We're sorry too, Bob."




"Alright.  Thank you.  Goodbye."




Bob hung up the phone, let out a long sigh, then felt a sensation different than what he thought he would feel.  He had been released from the constant worry and torment of her whining and crying about her problems.  What was this sensation coming over him?




For the first time in a very, very long time he felt... relief.



The Jade Dragons

The Jade Dragons

"We've reached it" said Tom.  "There's the entrance to the temple of the twin dragons."

"Do you think the fables are true?" asked David.

"If my research is correct and the dying man was in his right mind when he sold me that info in exchange for giving his children a percentage it is but we'll have to get past the guards in order to get to it."

"Well, what are we waiting for?  Let's go!"

"I said we'd have to get past the guards first.  The old man said that there were two guards hidden on the other side of the gate and several posted throughout the garden leading up to the Jade Dragons.  We'll need a distraction."

"I brought the dynamite.  I could throw some over the gate into the building."

"Alright.  When the guards run toward the building I'll run through the gate and shoot the guards in the back."

David walked up to the wall close to the building and unzipped the green canvas bag he was carrying over his shoulder.  He took out two sticks of dynamite and some twine.  He then tied the two sticks of dynamite together and twisted the dynamite fuses together.  He took a silver toned cigarette lighter out of his pocket, lit the fuses, and waited for them to burn down to about three inches.  At that time he hurled the sticks of dynamite directly at a window with all of his might.  The glass shattered as the dynamite went through the window then a second later there was a huge explosion that collapsed the side of the building causing it to top over toward the wall.

There was mass confusion everywhere as people tried to crawl out from under the furniture and get themselves out of the building to safety.

Both guards ran toward the building expecting that the person who set the charges was somewhere near the building.  Tom ran through the opening and shot one in the back and the other in the chest when he turned around to see where the shot came from.  David had now caught up with Tom.

"Okay Tom.  Which way?"

"The old man said to step on the stones in the water until one of them started to give.  He said that it would activate an entrance to the cave where the Twin Dragons were held."

"Do you think the stories about the ghosts guarding the statue are true?"

"I doubt it.  They were probably Dragon warriors with white makeup on so be on guard for guards on the way to the cave."

The two men started walking on the stepping stones and as soon as Tom stepped on the seventh stone an opening appeared in the nearby brush.

As Tom and Dave moved toward the opening a Dragon warrior jumped out from behind the bushes simultaneously drawing his Samurai sword.  Tom jumped back as the blade narrowly missed his head.  David pulled his gun and fired.  The Samurai dropped to the ground, dropping his blade.

"I guess they weren't ghosts after all." said David.

Tom untied the scabbard from the guard's waist and died it around his own then took the sword in his hand.

Tom and David moved forward finding themselves in a maze.

The hedge maze was intricate, having circular spaces with trees and sometimes a small, clear pond from which to drink.  It took them two days to get to the center.  When they arrived, they saw it.  A double dragon made of jade similar to the one on the entrance.

"It's supposed to have mystical powers" said David.

"We'll see" said Tom.

Tom gently lifted the jade dragon from its pedestal.  Arrows fired from four directions.  Tom and David hit the deck.  One of the arrows scraped David's ear.

"Maybe this statue DOES have mystical powers" said Tom.  "We could have been goners."

"Yeah!" said David.  "Look at my hat pinned to that tree."

"Well, we'd better check our guns and you'd better reload.  Don't forget you fired some shots at that Samurai with the white paint."

"Yes, but he was no match for my pistol, was he?"

"No, but don't get overconfident.  The guards will probably be back at the gate and they may have more posted after the explosion.  We'd better be ready with the Mac 10s this time.  I'll use this sword to clear brush if we need to until we get back to the entrance of the maze."

"Okay boss.  Good thing we made a map so we can get out of this place quicker.  Our food is almost gone."

Tom and Dave dug into their bags and readied their Mac 10s, being sure they were fully loaded and being sure that they could easily reach their spare clips on their belts.  Tom stuffed the Jade Dragons into his backpack.  They were ready and it was time to get started.

"How much did they say they would give you for this statue again, boss?"

"Ten million dollars.  The collector believes that it has lots of special powers."

"Do you really believe that, boss?"

"Who cares.  That's five million clams for each of us.  We'll be living like princes if we can get out of here alive.  Oh, and watch for traps.  Removing the statue may have triggered more than just the arrows."

"Okay, boss."

"Why don't you go ahead and check for traps since I'm carrying this heavy statue."

"Me, boss?"

"Yes YOU!  This statue is going to slow me down.  You can jump out of the way easier."

"Okay, boss.  Wow, I'm going to take a vacation in the Bahamas with lots of pretty girls when we get our money!"

"Just keep your mind on what you're doing.  Stop to read the map then be careful as you proceed.  We don't know what we might run into."

"Okay, boss."

The two men checked their guns and ammo once more and began on their was back to the entrance.  About a quarter way back when they had almost thought that it was going to be easy, two long axes fell from each direction.  They jumped back but the axes cut the tip of the sole of Dave's boot.

"That was close" said Dave.

"Yeah, that's why I said that you should go first.  I wouldn't have been able to jump back in time."

"Smart thinking, boss."

"Be careful as you proceed.  Try not to use your gun unless you have to.  We don't want to alert those gooks that we're back here."

"Okay, boss."

The men proceeded carefully on their way.  Again, it was another quarter way before Dave felt something move down under his foot.

"Jump!" yelled Dave.

Two swords shot out from the hedge in each direction, one of them knocking the gun out of Tom's hand.  Tom bent down and picked up his gun.

"That one was closer" said Tom.

"Do you think we'll get out of here alive?"

"I don't know but we're going to have to be more careful."

"Okay, boss."

The two men started on their way again, this time trying to watch for anything that could trigger another trap.  They got a little over three quarters of the way back and heard a growl.

"Did you hear that, boss?"

"Yeah.  Keep a look out."

"Do you think it's a dragon" asked Dave.

"It sounded more like a big cat to me.  Be careful.  They're dangerous and powerful.  I'll try to use the Samurai sword to kill it if we have to but you keep that Mac 10 ready just in case."

"Okay, boss.  Do you think you can kill it with a sword?"

"Samurai swords are very sharp.  They're supposed to be able to cut through metal.  Let's just hope they can cut through the bones of a lion or a tiger.   If we get near some trees be sure you look up before proceeding.  Some big cats pounce on their prey from a tree limb."

"Okay, boss.  I'm scared though.  I don't want to become tiger food."

"Just keep your eyes peeled and your ears open.  Remember, they can jump pretty far and their muscles are like steel."

"Now I'm REALLY scared, boss!"

"Just relax and stay sharp and we'll make it out of here."

"Okay, boss."

They came to the next opening and David stopped to check the map.

"RAAAWWrrr!"

"Boss, it sounds closer.  Are you sure we're going to get out of this maze alive?"

"You never know."

"Don't say that, boss.  You're scarin' me!"

"Keep your boots on and keep your gun ready.  If the cat comes after us, jump back beside me and keep your gun ready so I can take a whack at it first."

"Okay, boss.  I'll remember."

They followed the map back trough the maze.  Dave stopped under a tree at the next turn.  A giant jaguar pounced on him ripping the map in two and knocking Dave to the ground.  Tom struck out with the Samurai sword slicing the Jaguar's head neatly off.

"Damn it Dave!  I told you to watch the trees!  You could have been killed."

"I'm sorry, boss.  I'm sorry, boss."

"Yeah, you'd be sorrier if you were dead right now."

"How would I be sorry if I were dead, boss?"

"You know what I mean."

Dave pushed the jaguar's limp body off of him and got up.

"Look.  Your arm is bleeding" said Tom.  "Stop here a minute and I'll bandage your arm."

"Okay, boss."

Tom took off his backpack, reached in, and pulled out some medical supplies.  He opened the bottle of alcohol.

"Brace yourself.  This is going to sting a little."

"Okay, boss.  I'm ready.  That jaguar's claws were so sharp that I didn't feel it."

"It's okay.  It's just a scratch.  Maybe this statue DOES have some kind of power of protection."

Tom poured some alcohol on Dave's wound.

"OUCH" yelled Dave.

" Keep quiet!  We're getting close to the entrance.  I told ya it was going to sting a little."

Tom put the top back on the alcohol and returns it to his backpack.  He then took some gauze and tape and bandaged Dave's arm.  When the first aid supplies were put away the men stood up.

"Let's get on our way.  You go first again."

"Why me, boss?"

"Do I really have to tell you again?"

"No, boss."

The men started making their way back through the maze.  They were getting tired and hungry so they stopped to eat.

"Well, this is the last of the food" said Tom.  "We'd better eat and rest awhile.  We don't know what else we might run into."

"Okay, boss."

They ate the last of their food and laid on the ground using their backpacks as a pillow.

"Do you think we'll run into anymore cats" asked Dave.

"It's hard to say.  Removing that statue seems to have triggered a number of traps."

"I sure hope we make it out alive.  I can almost taste those drinks in the coconut shells and feel those pretty women all over me.  What are you going to do with your money, boss?"

"I haven't decided yet.  I'll probably invest most of it but I'll buy a new house and car for sure.  Nothing too fancy but comfortable and reliable.  I'll probably take a short vacation too."

"Good ideas, boss.  Where are you gonna go?"

"I have a gal in the UK that I might drop in on for a surprise visit.  I've never been there and I'm sure she'll be surprised to see me.  Maybe TOO surprised if you know what I mean.  I'll see how it goes.  She broke my heart but maybe things will go better in person:  Maybe they won't."

"I sure hope they do, boss."

"Thanks, Dave.  So do I.  I don't think I can take the heartbreak a second time.  Now, let's get some sleep."

"Okay, boss."

When the two awoke the next morning, a cobra was on Dave's chest.  Dave froze up and the cobra spread its hood.

"Don't move a muscle" said Tom.  "I'll try to get the sword out of the sheath and cut its head off."

Dave didn't say a word.  He just lay there staring into the cobra's eyes.

Tom slowly pulled the sword out of its sheath trying not to make any noise or sudden movements.  He slowly got up on one knee next to Dave and readied the sword.

SWOOSH!  Off came the cobra's head.  Dave jumped up as fast as he could, knocking the body on the ground and the head into the hedge.

"Why it didn't strike when you jerked, I don't know."

"It must be the statue, boss."

"Yeah, yeah.  I don't really believe in that mumbo jumbo but I'm starting to wonder myself.  Check your weapons and let's get a move on."

"Okay, boss."

They continued toward the entrance of the maze without further incident.

I guess they figured the jaguar would get us if nothing else did" said Tom.

"I guess so, boss."

As they approached the entrance they heard some Chinese yelling and heard the shuffle of a large number of feet.

"Oh crap!" whispered Tom.  They must have found the body of the ghost Samurai.  Take the safety off of your Mac 10 and get ready for a fight."

Tom and Dave approached the opening and saw a company of Samurai awaiting them with their swords drawn.  Tom and Dave unleashed a hail of fire each using short bursts for maximum effectiveness.  Dave ran out of ammo first and quickly ejected the clip and grabbed a new one from his belt.  The remaining Samurai charged and Tom took two of them out before his clip was empty.  Tom grabbed a clip from his belt and the remaining Samurai took a swing at him.  Tom jumped back and wasn't cut but his ammo belt was sliced in half and dropped to the ground.  Dave shot the Samurai in the back.

"They know we're here now" said Tom.  We're going to play hell getting past those guards at the gate.  Do you have any ammo left?"

"I have one clip left."

"Good.  Let me stick my clip in my gun and get the last clip off of my ammo belt."

Tom inserted his clip and cocked his Mack 10.  He then bent down and removed the clip from the severed belt and put it in his pocket.

"We have to get back over the stones and make a run for the gate.  Try to take out the guards on our way.  Watch for guards coming from the rear."

"Will do, boss."

The men made it across the stones and made a run for the gate.  The guards called out and more men started coming from the area of the damaged building.

"Take out the guards at the gate first" yelled Tom.

Dave complied then they both turned and fired at the approaching crowd.  The crowd stopped and turned back for a moment as Dave and Tom ran through the gate toward their jeep.  Just as they got the backpacks loaded into the jeep, men started coming through the gate.  Dave and Tom released one last hail of bullets toward the gate killing enough men to semi-block the entrance.  Tom jumped into the driver's side and David into the passenger's side and the men sped off to meet the buyer.

The men arrived at the buyer's house and were met at the door by the bodyguard.  The bodyguard led the men inside to the buyer's chamber.

"Do you have the jade dragons?"

"Yes" said Tom as he pulled it out of his backpack.

"Good, good" said the buyer.  "Here is your money."

"What does that thing do" asked Dave.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yeah, yeah" exclaimed Tom and Dave in unison.

The buyer rubbed the Jade Dragons.  The statue started to glow.  Suddenly, they buyer turned into two green dragons and ate the men.  The statue stopped glowing and the buyer turned back into a man.

"Put the money back in the safe" said the buyer.

"Yes sir" said the bodyguard.

"It's a shame that they were so curious.  They could have been rich men."

Copyright © 2015 Cal Jennings

What's Really Needed In the World?

It's amazing how a seemingly unrelated post on Facebook can cause an epiphany!  

I was reading a post about Pat Benatar's husband's birthday and someone commented that if her husband hadn't gotten her to change to rock she would still be just a lounge singer.  JUST A LOUNGE SINGER?  Well, as some of you know, I'm a fan of torch singers so I went on a search for Pat Benatar singing one of her "lounge singer" songs to see how she sounded.  What I eventually found was this:

Here's My Heart by Pat Benatar, Film Version

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If you haven't seen the film Metropolis to understand what it's about, I recommend you do so.  I haven't yet seen the 1984 version from which this was taken.  I first saw the pieced together original version in River Oaks at a theater there.  I recently saw it again.  When I saw this clip, I realized what I had been wanting to say all along and how it fit into my idea of WORLDstock.

What is WORLDstock?

I have given my part of a shared vision, the idea of WORLDstock, to Aliza Hava who has a better location... Jerusalem.  I feared that I might die before I could get the vision moving and I just hadn't anticipated running into anyone who would have access to the area and be able to put on a peace concert there before I met her.  She was working on a similar peace project so she was perfect to share my part of the vision with.  Anyway, onto the story.

I always related to Freder because I came from part of both worlds and had trouble resolving the conflict within when I stepped out of my life of relative privilege and saw what it was to live and work amongst the workers.  There was a terrible dichotomy inside me.  If only I could find someone to stand by my side to support me into trying to bring a resolution between the two worlds. I need the love and encouragement to make it happen. I have the connections. I just need those who have faith enough in my idea to make it happen.

 When I saw this particular clip of Metropolis with Pat Benatar's song Here's My Heart, it struck me.  I think it shows how true love can truly bring understanding and lasting peace between opposing groups.  The groups aren't opposing in reality but need each other to exist. It's just that both groups have forgotten that they need each other and need to be compassionate toward one another.

I have seen the tensions forming on both sides.  It's like a repeat of the movie Metropolis.  Both sides seem to be warring with each other and it is about to become a revolution that could destroy everything on earth.  Deep down, the rich know that it's not right to hoard everything and starve the workers who made their riches and machinery possible.  Deep down, the poor know that it's not right to kill the rich and to destroy everything that they created which also supports them and their lifestyle.  Instead of a warring revolution with possible nuclear implications, what is needed is a meeting of the hearts.  Rather than revolution we need conflict resolution.  Though the following song is dated, its message is what the world really needs right now... not war, not revolutions, but true love.

Jackie DeShannon - What the World Needs Now (with lyrics)

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Now, it's true that at this point, the technology exists to tell the corporate masters to go to hell.  What people of those groups don't realize is that it's not something that would happen overnight.  Some people can't afford completely self-sustainable quarters and don't have the health to go out in search of their own food.  Not everyone can afford to relocate.  There are people living on the streets with no food and no housing.  They have no source of income and there are no jobs out there that they are capable of performing.  The Venus Project has some great ideas but these ideas take money and time to implement.  If none of the people who support the ideas have the money to make it happen, the ideas are irrelevant.  Still, a more compassionate view between the working class and the management class could acheive similar results and there would be no need for the wars and destruction that are likely to take place in the very near future if something doesn't change.  Don't be fooled.  The working class now has very powerful weapons at its disposal.  They have been stockpiling guns, grenades, missile launchers, and have even obtained nuclear weapons and support.  Spending your life hiding in an underground bunker, no matter how elaborate, is no substitute for living among others in a peaceful, compassionate fashion.  Shouldn't we find a way to make peace rather than revolt?  This was Jesus' vision.  It was God's message to mankind.  It was why God sent Jesus to the Jews and to all mankind.  Let's make the following verse a reality everyday as He intended.

Luke 2:14King James Version (KJV)

¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.


Love, Hope, Peace, and Christ be with you,

Cal-el

P.S.  Sometimes, I don't think women realize what an inspiration a woman can be to a man. She can wake all his hidden talents even if they've lain dormant for decades. Ladies, don't fear your man's talents and abilities. Don't suppress them. Help nurture and guide them so that he can make the most of them and you... And maybe the rest of the world... Will reap the rewards.  The reverse is true as well.  Support your women in their talents and dreams.

P.P.S.  True love can overcome any barrier whether it be social class, race, sex, or great distance.  As long as we truly open our hearts to one another, we will be surprised at how much more compatible we are than we previously thought.  I owe this to someone whom I truly admire, and yes, love.

"Attempted Rapture" "Saint" Version Book Review

Our Economics, The Swine, and the Swine Flu

I took Economics in college, but I know that most of you didn't. Check out these graphs. If you don't know much about economics, there is some explanation to go along with the graphs. Here are some that are relatively easy that I think most can understand (Note, Blogger seems to be cutting off the right side of the graphs which would better show the impact):

Ratio of Share of Income Tax to Share of Income

Median Income of Full Time Workers in 2001 Dollars (Dollars adjusted so they equal the same value for every time period)



Federal Tax Rates in 2004


If what's going on hasn't hit you yet, take a look at these graphs:

Income of the top 400 in the
U.S. compared to the rest



Our Piggy Banks


Food Prices


Housing Price Graph

You hear Republicans screaming like stuck pigs over their taxes being too high as they raise the prices on the rest of us who can barely afford to live. They took huge tax cuts and received huge bail-outs from the government, but squeal when someone asks for something as necessary as health care for the rest of the people. So, is Capitalism working as prescribed? It doesn't appear so.

I realize that, in our country, speaking ill of Capitalism is proscribed, but when you look at how things REALLY work in this country, it would be remiss not to point out how greed and Capitalism have worked hand in hand in this country. Basically, it's given the rich the best lifestyles possible in the world as it put the rest of us in the poor house. It's let the richest keep their children out of war and put our children to death in battle to increase their earnings.

Any of the models for Economics would work well if humans weren't involved. Pure Communism, pure Socialism, and pure Capitalism are all good in theory. The problems come when someone gets too greedy or too power hungry... or both. When they start invading religion to make the people conform to their wishes, they become pure evil.

As piggy as the Republicans have been, is it any wonder that there was an outbreak of Swine Flu?

Cal Jennings

Copyright © 2009 Cal Jennings