Feb 28, 2004 by Naomi.

I am struck with paranoia. The moon is stalking me - controlling my
body even.
Control of the type Dean Koontz, the best selling author, conceives
in "False Memories". For years I have tracked my energy level
and the highest coincides with the waning of the moon, like there is
a pull that takes me out of myself and moves me into accomplishments
beyond any other. I clean up one task after another with ease, things
put off before.

Now that sounds like a good thing. And in terms of getting things done
with a minimum of stress it certainly is. Can I count on it? Not every
month is it so apparent. Some other factor is involved.

Now why is that surprising?

Is there anybody out there who has the same experience? This is not
terrestrial beings jerking me around. This is about energy levels changing
periodically. Going strong for a few days and tapering off.

I eat with good health in mind - no red meat, no prepared foods, no
carbonated beverages, very little processed sugar, two quarts of water
daily - sounds pretty cool, huh? Maybe the energy is all in my diet.

Well shoot! I thought I had front line lunar connections. A lot of
things are waiting to be done. Back to bed I go to wait for the moon
to wane again.

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Feb 28, 2004 by Naomi.

A chance remark made in a meeting yesterday puzzled me. I was struck
with the fact that people are amazed by a "new" statistic
that defines differences between men and women. The statistic brought
up - totally out of context I might add - was that men suffer urinary
infection much less often than women. The statement illustrated an ignorance
of the human body, or at least the socially acceptable denial of "private"
parts. The reason the statistic calls attention to a difference between
men and women stems from exactly the most graphic one - the parts at
the end of the urinary track.

Culturally we are conditioned to deny personal knowledge of those parts.
We hide them from ourselves. We don’t clean them carefully at the toilet.
We slide quickly around them in our daily romance with soap and water.
We clean them on the towel or on our underwear.

But I digress. If you picture the position of the two waste orifices
- that is holes that eliminate solid and liquid waste from human bodies
- and you hesitate picturing those private parts lest you be accused
of enjoying pornography - note the physical arrangement. On the male
the orifices are separated by measurable inches depending upon age (or
self-proclaimed prowess). The infectious culprit is bacteria and is
present in the solid waste. Bacteria aids digestion of foods in animals
including us.

On the female, take note, the orifices are placed one directly above
the other. A swipe forward of toilet paper or fingers from the anus
places the bacteria at the entrance of the vagina. Because females make
a swipe every time they urinate, placement of bacteria happens whenever
the swipe comes from the anus to the vagina regardless of whether solid
waste is eliminated at the time.

Bacteria hovers around the anus. It is a tiny living thing, not dependent
upon visible solids to be present. It moves best in liquid. Therefore
chances of infection in females are off the statistical chart.

That male urinary infection occurs at all is curious since a different,
less frequent, transfer must happen. Bacteria cannot crawl or swim the
length of a penis. The orifice must come in contact with the bacteria
at the anus. Possibly if the penis is wrapped backwards to fit underwear
or jock strap, the orifice might come in contact with the bacterial
area. I cannot demonstrate that position. That idea never came up when
I had a male with which to discuss the matter. You’ll have to puzzle
that out for yourself.

Anal intercourse would make the transfer, and such acts probably take
place between adults, male and/or female, consenting or not. Go figure.

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Feb 28, 2004 by Naomi.

Purple, white and gold balloons festooned the ballroom ceiling at the
Grand wedding of my Grand daughter. She wore the traditional white gown
and came to the groom on the arm of the man she called her Dad since
she was six years old.

The wedding party had four lovely bridesmaids and the Matron on Honor
dressed in shades of purple gowns as were the junior bridesmaid and
flower girl. Handsome groomsmen escorted the women.

I would call it a story book wedding, very beautiful, very traditional.
The family and guests sat at tables in the ballroom so there was no
procession from the ceremony to a dinner site. I never attended such
a wedding before. Most of the family helped prepare the balloons earlier
in the day which provided the opportunity to get acquainted. I was busy
with my own traditional Second Saturday Event at the McNary National
Wildlife Refuge where I put on special activities for the public.

The picture session was tedious, lasting for two hours. It was an opportunity
for me to name the faces of those family members I will probably rarely
see again. The professional photographer didn’t stop then. He and an
able attendant kept recording the action during and after the ceremony
so there will be an enormous album for posterity. Many other cameras
were used by others. At our table we used three disposable Kodaks during
the afternoon and evening. Parents of the bride shot several hundred
digital pictures which they shared with me.

A Christian wedding ceremony is always a disappointment to me. Insisting
that God brings these people together is foolish. Insinuating that a
bride and groom will never stray from their vows if they cling to Jesus
is a big fat lie.

People love each other and get through the normal ups and downs by
their own actions. I expect that my grand daughter and my new grand
son will have a good marriage if they continue as they have begun. They
are already bonded by two motherless children.

I confer prosperity and happiness upon them.

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Feb 28, 2004 by Naomi.

Did you hear the latest? Coming up with a scale of literacy of big
cities! Because somebody thought there should be one more way to judge
large cities - that person had nothing better to do than look into literacy.
Sixty four cities were chosen for the critique. I will hold my breath
to find out how my city rates in the judgment.

Where does this notion come from that insists good, better, or best
is so important? Does high competition mean there is more concern about
how the rest of the country perceives our city than there is concern
about improving the basic things that allow a healthy setting for the
pursuit of happiness?

Does a judgment make citizens of the "lowest" on the scale
work harder to come up to the "highest" standards? Or does
such a judgment lure settlers into a more highly rated city leaving
their "substandard" living conditions behind to deteriorate
even further?

Whatever the consequences, the part of this kind of competition that
continues to be disturbing is that someone saw a need to raise a warning
about an issue that our president has already forcefully stated will
not happen. He swore that no child shall be left behind. In making that
lofty promise with much sincerity it would seem there can be no competition
because all will have access to good education. All will top the scales
in literacy tests.

But our language demands judgment so this somebody that raised the
question will be making judgments. What is the criteria? School tests?-
because if kids can’t pass tests obviously they cannot read.

Joblessness? - because if people don’t have jobs they must be unable
to fill out applications.

Book sales? - because if people don’t buy books they must be unable
to read.

Surely there is some easy way to check literacy of a big city.

What makes Americans so determined to be judgmental? Could it be our
Puritanism handed to us through the English who set down the bases for
our laws? Could it be the language itself? A language based on placing
individuals in competition with one another other?

Feminists were given a bad score when pointing out unnecessary competition.
Feminists were ridiculed further when cumbersome changes of - he was
to he/she were used instead of using they or theirs.. We are stuck if
we don’t invent new words to cover gender to prevent unfair competition
between the sexes. We need a twenty first century Shakespeare. And we
are stuck if we let judgment structure our thinking. We need a desire
to take control of our lives.

Maybe you already do have control. If so invent new words. But practice
them in your everyday talks. New words in print make editors very upset.
The way we speak through e-mails is already causing much tearing of
hair. But above all, ignore the ratings of the literacy of cities. Just
keep talking to one another.

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Feb 28, 2004 by Naomi.

Not a bad title for the progression of nature as well as popular soap
opera. It occurs to me that even as the human species moves doggedly
to its destruction, the universe will persevere. Each planet, in whatever
galaxy, will continue to move according to natural laws. We call them
chemistry and physics reacting through time upon the energy that is
the matter in us and about us.

Whatever we name them, they continue to move, to develop, to change.
But there is no real change only progression. And how little control
we humans have. People live, love, work, and scheme and the natural
laws flow in and around human actions as they do as a constant influence
upon all animals and plants and soil.

The ancients saw earth, water, air, and fire as basic elements required
for life. And redefined with present knowledge they still are. Only
scientific understanding explains how and sometimes why they are basic.
Today society is just as afraid of science as it once was of natural
disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes, or volcanic eruptions. To study
and search and postulate is how we discover what nature is all about.

We don’t embrace every discovery as final and why should we? Our minds
cannot fathom the complexities that go into the facts that we uncover
- what came before or how things came together to be what we finally
see as our ‘discovery’. But that doesn’t diminish the awe of that discovery.

So we move what we call forward toward more discoveries. And there
is much satisfaction in that.

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Feb 28, 2004 by Naomi.

Creationism is the word of God to be accepted on faith
alone. No one is allowed to postulate theories of how creation happened.

Evolution is a fact. How it works has several theories.

Yet the school board in Richland is being asked to include
creationism along with evolution so children can make a choice. A choice
in science? Well I understand that some researchers schew their findings
and make results come out to their liking but choosing to put an unsubstantiated
story into science is something no self-respecting scientist would do.

A board member proposed changing the description of evolution
to suggest it “may” be a central theme that unifies all biology.
She wasn’t suggesting the district teach other forms of beginnings but
putting “may” along with the word evolution would allow student
scientists to reach their own conclusions.
One board member insisted: “Teachers need a little
bit of latitude” in working with science.

TO DO WHAT? TEACH RELIGION?
Creationism is a Judeo-Christian creation - a God’s word.

To consider word of a Christian God for inclusion in the
science program of Richland Public schools is an affront to our non-Christian
citizens. In our multicultural society to place one religion’s idea before
children in any textbook demonstrates government support which many times
has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Evolution is a fact. How it works has several theories.
But everyone, even religious people admit that animals have evolved. No
one is absolutely certain how it worked through the eons of time and some
interesting aspects are being studied.

Are you watching your school boards? Many schools are
spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on new textbooks and related
science material. Keep church and state separate.

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Feb 28, 2004 by Naomi.

As one who spent many hours in airports awaiting flights this past
month, I speak as a person watcher. And while watching passengers rushing
to catch a flight or relieved to be almost home, I noticed differences
in fashion.

Men wore baggy trousers, young men especially wore baggy clothes. Older
men often wore jeans - never tight - while many men still adhered to
business suits. I tried picturing these same men in tight pants or imagining
their underwear as we were encouraged to do in Toastmasters club when
training to speak before a large crowd. But I am as conditioned as the
next person not to expect men to reveal too much. I appreciate broad
muscular shoulders and tight slim butts so I thought it would be nice
to see some.

At a castle in England, an archer demonstrating marksmanship in the
15th century, wore a codpiece which is a sack designed to hold the scrotum.
People surely go through strange clothing designs reflecting attitudes.

Women in the airports displayed clothes that were the opposite. The
younger the woman the tighter the jeans or skirts. Every delicate shape
of the feminine body was revealed, as well as lines of panties and bras.
Is this because that type of clothes is all women have to choose from?

I marched many times insisting that women should be able to dress any
way they chose and not be raped.

Now we are liberated, right? Right!

So why do women display their sexuality? Why do men hide theirs?

Let me have a some psychology here.

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Feb 28, 2004 by Naomi.

Homosexuality is genetic and determined before birth.
I thought everybody knew that.

In a recent meeting a man asked around the table, "What
do you think of homosexuality being taught in our schools?"

An immediate response was: "It is not." But
the speaker was adamant. Yes, he said, the single lifestyle was portrayed
in textbooks as if it was acceptable. To him just being single was intolerable,
"queer".

I had to go back a few years to remember how life style
was portrayed in elementary textbooks. Picture this: A woman with an apron
standing in a doorway holding hands of a boy and a girl who were waving
good-bye to a man walking off with a briefcase. The text explained that
Daddy was going to work. Daddy works.

No longer. Textbooks portray reality. Now children see
women as doctors, astronauts, and executives. What threat is there? And
to whom? One old man suggested that if homosexuality really catches on,
the human race will become extinct from lack of reproduction. Another
suggested that life without intercourse with the opposite sex just is
not natural (probably not manly). Believing the single life style is an
abomination was more widespread than I realized.

To believe that such portraits promote homosexuality is
an incredible leap that defies logic. But intolerance remains. The basis
for that has roots for exploration in another thoughtful minute which
does not involve a course in biology..

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Feb 28, 2004 by Naomi.

Are we to be held hostage within our own US boundaries
by fear? Politicians try to make us fear those who practise the Islam
religion. Obviously we don’t fear Islam enough to accept the loss of
our civil liberties, so suggest another danger. Let’s fear prepared
food imported from foreign countries. Terrorists could get to us through
our own grocery shelves. No mail delivery. No airplanes involved.

A news report pointed out that we are vulnerable through
imported food products which could be contaminated by foreign countries.
When raw goods come in they can be checked under FDA rules. Now meats,
vegetables and fruits come in cans ready to be consumed and therefore
not under FDA inspection. Food contamination is beyond detection.

Creating suspicion of everyone and everything is an
old time use of dividing and conquering to hold power over people. Religions
and despots have done that for centuries. But suspecting our trading
partners who depend on selling their foods for income that are a huge
part of their economies? Think about it.

Are we going to buy these terrorist threats that appear
to be dreamed up by think tanks run by Kissinger and Cheney and would
encourage congress to strip us of our freedoms? What next?

This madness isn’t going to stop until we replace our
god crazed government with common sense people who don’t try to invent
boogey men to keep us under control.

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Feb 28, 2004 by Naomi.

As of February 17, 2003, the United States of America was put on orange
alert - that is - alert of eminent terrorist attacks. Terrorist attacks
on Americans are expected. Television ads (funded by private money?
Whose?) brainwash citizens that attacks will happen and so be prepared
when attacks occur. Coping is said to consist of stocking at least three
days worth of food and looking with suspicion upon everyone.

What the terrorist attacks will consist of is vague but ads intimate
that poison gas or germs will be the weapons of terror. There is no
indication that Iraq is the perpetrator but we are going to wipe out
Iraq anyway. Oh there are reports of oceangoing Iraqi freighters which
could be carrying those poison gases and germs that United Nations’
inspectors are unable to find in the country.

So let’s be logical here. IF the ships really have those ‘weapons’
think about delivery and dispersion. How could lethal gases reach populations
within USA borders? Attacks could only be by special planes flying low
over targets. Suppose Iraq has helicopters with the ability to store
and carry the gas/germs. Can they penetrate our air space and fly low
enough over populated areas to pose any real threat? Give me break!

Ask our civil air patrols.

Most recent deaths around the world are not caused by poison gas or
germs. Deaths by terrorists come from suicide individuals armed with
gasoline - the very fuel our oil mogul’s will kill innocent civilians
for land to develop oil fields in the Middle East.

I think it’s about time for wise people to counter with ads asking
for proof of Iraq’s indiscretions. How about nationwide advertising
to insist that negotiating for peace is patriotic?

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