Gasp!

I read an article today that had me fascinated. For quite some time the US government has been criticised for its spending on the war. While i tend to criticise the war in general, i had generally chalked up the expense of the war as the price of modern warfare. Turns out, it is more than that.

According to the independent watchdog, Project on Government Oversight, the government spending has spun out of control, leaving massive areas vulnerable to fraud and corruption. Where an auditor used to be assigned for every 642 million spent, they are now assigned to every 2 billion spent. There is less accountability for the money spent.

I am now officially against USA government spending without accountability. And DEFINITELY against the way they are spending on the war.

Expanding Religion

If you live in a western country, chances are you've been raised in a Christian environment. (if by nothing else but name) You may not realise the extent of religion in your area, or where it came from and how it got to your country.

This link will take you to a site that uses images and colour to give an example of where various religions started from and where they expanded to. Its very interesting if your interested in a historical approach to religion.

and you can quote me on that

As a myspace junky, i enjoy a good read of the bulletin board every now and again. Today, however, i wished i had not. I found a post that i will copy for you. If you have the stomach to read it all, its all below. If you'd rather skip to my thoughts, scroll down.

Written by a housewife from New Jersey and sounds like it! This is one ticked off lady.

"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001?

Were people from all over the world, mostly Americans, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from our nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a copy of the Koran was "desecrated" when an overworked American soldier kicked it or got it wet?...Well, I don't. I don't care at all.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere possession of which is a crime in Saudi Arabia

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called "insurgents" in Iraq come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their First Amendment liberties are somehow derived from international law instead of the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a brave marine roughing up an Iraqi terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a fuzzy photo of a pile of naked Iraqi prisoners who have been humiliated in what amounts to a college-hazing incident, rest assured: I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank: I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed "special" food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being "mishandled," you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled "Koran" and other times "Quran." Well, Jimmy Crack Corn and-you guessed it-I don't care !!

If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior!

If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country! And may I add:

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan

I have another quote that I would like to add AND.......I hope you forward all this.

"If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." Also by.. Ronald Reagan

One last thought for the day:

In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the Anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America, he said: "A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in... And how many want out."

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I.

One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM.
AMEN

I'll start at the top and work down..to keep my thoughts ordered.

1. Yes, many people died in the September 2001 attacks. It is tragic. No amount of words will ever replace the lives lost, yet there is still questions to be asked. Why would someone feel so desperate as to take their and other lives? Just because they weren't christian does not make them evil and completely heartless. They still have human motives. What were they? To not ask these questions is to dishonour the lives that were needlessly lost. We say that their lives were not worth the whole truth of the matter, they were worth only the propaganda.
   
2. What makes 'us' so different from 'them' if we see no need to respect what is not ours? If it is revenge we are seeking in Iraq how many deaths will repay the lives lost on US soil? How much torture will heal the nation?
3. If we are going to hold up on a pedestal all those soldiers dying for the freedom of the USA, than maybe they would be kind enough to mention all the soldiers that have come to the aid of the USA. There are many troupes in Iraq fighting with America, but it seems only the American ones are considered gods....
4. By stating that the only two forces have offered to die for the average person (Jesus and the American G I), the writer is equating the soldier to that of god Himself. A very high pedestal to stand one on. Let us not forget the Jesus spent His life healing and teaching before his death. I'm so glad that the American soldiers have been trained to be just like Him.

Well, if i haven't already alientated half my readership, we'll see you all here again tomorrow.

depressed.

Growing up my family was very pro-active. If there was something in the family that wasn't working, even the children could speak up and change things. In my elementary school and high school it was the same. i could always change things that i felt were wrong.

I am now living in the 'real' world. Changing things that i feel are wrong is so much harder. i hate the war. i hate that there is so much death and in so many ways i feel that the majority is directly the responsibility of the USA. Yet i can not change things.

There is a bumper sticker that i always see when i go visit my family, "if you don't like what we do, leave". So i left. but it doesn't change anything except now, i have a harder time voting.

I truly feel helpless when i see the state our world is in. From corporate rape of the environment to personal apathy of what happens to other, i some times wonder what will be left for the generation after ours.