- emma's blog

I'VE LEARNED . . .

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:02:36 GMT

Not so much a blog post, more of a Post filled with Poignant Ponderings ...

I came across these words while searching for some inspirational stories to back a message to a friend.
I read the quotes ~ for that's what each paragraph actually is; a Quote to Ponder ~ and read them again.
And after reading them twice I thought: this just HAS to go into the blog - I simply HAVE to share this ...

So, here we go ~ I hope you enjoy these words of wisdom and feel, as I did, that many of them bear more than a grain of truth ...

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you.
     All you can do is be someone who can be loved.
     The rest is up to them.

I've learned that no matter how much I care,
     some people just don't care back.

I've learned that it takes years to build up trust,
     and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned that it's not what you have in your life,
     but who you have in your life that counts.

I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.
     After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do,
     but to the best you can do.

I've learned that it's not what happens to people that's important.
     It's what they do about it.

I've learned that no matter how thin you slice it,
     there are always two sides.

I've learned that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I've learned that it's a lot easier to react than it is to think.

I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words.
     It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned that you can keep going
     long after you think you can't.

I've learned that we are responsible for what we do,
     no matter how we feel.

I've learned that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first,
     the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done,
     regardless of the consequences.

I've learned that learning to forgive takes practice.

I've learned that there are people who love you dearly,
     but just don't know how to show it.

I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing
     and still have the best time.

I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down
     will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned that I'm getting more and more like my grandma,
     and I'm kinda happy about it.

I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry,
     but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.
     Same goes for true love.

I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to,
     doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had
     and what you've learned from them
     and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned that you should never tell a child her dreams are unlikely or outlandish.
     Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if she believed it.

I've learned that your family won't always be there for you.
     It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take care of you
     and love you and teach you to trust people again.
     Families aren't biological.

I've learned that no matter how good a friend someone is,
     they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
     Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,
     but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned that sometimes when my friends fight,
     I'm forced to choose sides even when I don't want to.

I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other.
     And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned that sometimes you have to put the individual ahead of their actions.

I've learned that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I've learned that if you don't want to forget something,
     stick it in your underwear drawer.

I've learned that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret.
     It could change your life forever.

I've learned that the clothes I like best
     are the ones with the most holes in them.

I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing
     and see something totally different.

I've learned that no matter how you try to protect your children,
     they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I've learned that there are many ways of falling and staying in love.

I've learned that no matter the consequences,
     those who are honest with themselves get farther in life.

I've learned that many things can be powered by the mind,
     the trick is self-control.

I've learned that no matter how many friends you have,
     if you are their pillar,
     you will feel lonely and lost at the times you need them most.

I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give,
     when a friend cries out to you,
     you will find the strength to help.

I've learned that writing,
     as well as talking,
     can ease emotional pains.

I've learned that the paradigm we live in
     is not all that is offered to us.

I've learned that credentials on the wall
     do not make you a decent human being.

I've learned that the people you care most about in life
     are taken from you too soon.

I've learned that although the word "love" can have many different meaning,
     it loses value when overly used.

I've learned that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between
     being nice and not hurting people's feelings
     and standing up for what you believe.

(Author Unknown)

+++

I'm not always convinced that "author unknown" reflects the absolute truth online, especially since all it might take is change a few lines here and there, and hey-ho, you have a new "original", so I dug a little deeper into trying to find the origin of these quotes. And I was lucky: I found the above lines in "poem form", written by Omer B. Washington. Mostly identical, but here and there a minor change ... and then I saw how Omer ended his poem:

" I've learned to love
   and be loved.
   I've learned ... "

... I realized that this still does not constitute absolute proof of authorship, but I'd like to think that Omer wrote these words - it puts a name to them, something more tangible, more human ... and this is how I'd like to end my Powerful Ponderings Post - these last words have most definitely been my personal biggest Lesson in Life!
May it be the case for you too ...

Smiles, always ~
Emm :))

Austerity in Greece - Are we missing the human factor here...?

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:24:10 GMT

Picture: http://www.globalnews.ca

I know... it's been a little while since I last posted here.
Real-life matters took me away from the cyber-world for a while -I'm back though; back in my little world that until relatively recently I cherished as being among the safest places around.
Things are a-changing...

While all kinds of polemic scenarios are constantly being played out in the artificial online world via a legion of war games, a more sinister, real life drama is unfolding before our very eyes. A drama that could potentially become the catalyst for far greater woes in our once-so-safe corner of the world.

Life in Greece is simmering, bubbling and erupting with increasing regularity. It is doing so with a growing ferocity that any time soon might well blow the lid off the situation; a situation that more and more people appear to accept as a given: the prospect of large-scale violent eruptions which at present are lingering dangerously close to the surface of reality.

I'm talking about outright civil war - and I'm by far not the only one who contemplates the reality of this happening. No mincing words here: as many disgruntled people put it now: "with our backs against the wall we've got nothing else to lose, ... we cannot possibly begin to predict the fallout, but it won't be peaceful."

A fallout that is but a spark away from igniting into full-scale civil war - the Haves against the Have-nots; the People against the Leaders, current as well as generations of previous incumbents. The masses have had enough of being lied to, of their embezzling leaders, of the perpetual yo-yoing in an oligarchic political system dominated by the Papandreou, Karamanlis and Mitsotakis families where democracy translated into jobs in the public sectors for friends, contracts or convenient law amendments. As my neighbour puts it rather philosophically: "We all know they steal from the country, they all did, no exceptions - but now they've taken it all and haven't left anything for the people!"
And so, when you can no longer house or feed your family, you have indeed nothing to lose...

Soup-kitchens are popping up like mushrooms after a rainy night - a phenomenon virtually unheard of before this crisis hit Greece. Many among those who have lost their job have left the cities and returned to their ancestral villages, that is if they still have property there, the idea being that at least they can grow their own food in an effort to keep hunger from the door. They heat their houses with wood stoves - electricity or heating fuel being way beyond their financial means. And they know: people tend to have closer ties in the villages and will help one another more readily... one hopes!

Recent developments have now reached a point where the ordinary people are facing hardship beyond comprehension in what is supposed to be a modern, civilized and developed European country - fellow member state of the European Union. The collapse of the economic system has led to cuts, cuts and more cuts; taxes, taxes and more taxes. The boom Greece enjoyed only a few years ago during its build-up to the 2004 Olympics which was widely applauded by the very forces that today are behind the death knell the country is facing, is long forgotten, a distant memory - almost as if it never happened. Nowadays, all that remains of the pride of that Olympic moment, is shambles - empty buildings and constructions that are left to fall apart under the harsh summer sun. And then there are the debts. A veritable Olympus mountain of debts!

Let's not forget the darkest side of the coin, the sub-current ripples that don't really break the surface into daylight yet - a subject that still carries an air of taboo: suicide.

Recent reports have revealed that suicide rates have simply exploded over the last couple of years - people are losing their businesses, their livelihood, they can't keep up the mortgage rates, can't pay bills, can no longer feed their family - they have either lost it all, or receive a minimum wage or unemployment benefits in a country that is now among the most expensive in Euroland and they see no other way out than to tie the final knot ...

In my book this borders on being criminal, it's as simple as that.
The suicides are a direct result of the stringent and irresponsible austerity measures that are being imposed on the country by the powers that be... or rather by those people in the powers that be who have the final word and in whose power it is to dish out these death sentences by remote control.

How easy is it to demand further cuts, more layoffs, higher taxes when you're thousands of miles away from the reality of the life that befalls the ordinary Greek citizens. Those imposing these terms have no idea just what harm they have caused and are still causing. The bail-out package that is supposed to save the country from bankruptcy comes at a steep price in monetary terms too: the moneys lent to Greece are lent at premium interest rates, and whereas protests from fellow European taxpayers who are asked to dig deep into their pocket to help out can be understood, I fail to see the logic behind the measures that are imposed and which are supposed to create an economically sound base when thousands of businesses are folding, and unemployment figures are at record highs! The concrete employment policies that our European leaders have been promising us for decades now are nowhere to be seen... Why? Because there aren't any; the so-called experts and know-it-alls haven't got a clue as to how to solve the pan-European problem of unemployment, while at the same time the many European schemes that saw the light of day over the last couple of decades just disintegrated into nothingness - many a total waste of good European taxpayer's money!

These policy-makers are directly responsible for the despair that has driven many people to opt out of a life they could no longer face and in my book that makes them responsible - they have blood on their hands. As far as I'm concerned they are guilty of a form of manslaughter, even if it is indirect. However, no judge or jury will ever sentence them 'guilty as charged' - nor will anyone ever hint at their accountability. They'll get off scot-free.
A human catastrophy, the ramifications of which will linger on for decades to come - mark my words.

I'd like to share with you an article I found this morning which actually prompted me to write this blog post - those among you who know me, know also that I prefer to stay clear of politics.
I think however that the time has come to speak out, to add my voice to those who are trying to make sense of a situation that is rapidly getting out of hand...

We need leadership that offers real answers, answers that bring hope and more than anything: concrete proposals with regard to the future of the European industrial and business infrastructure. If we can't achieve that, I'm afraid our forefathers' dream of a prosperous, united and war-free Europe is doomed to fail.

So here is part of the missive that compelled me to speak up - perhaps you will gain some insight into what is affecting the human factor here in Greece...

+++
(By Paul Kidner - (the full article can be viewed here - just click)

I’ve stopped watching the news. Every day feels like Groundhog Day. We watch the same drama on our screens – crisis, default, the drachma, unemployment, downward spiral – and it is getting increasingly depressing to watch.

For those living outside Greece the footage of rioting in the streets is in complete contrast to the cultural imagery handed down since the 1970s. Older women dressed in black, men playing backgammon in cafes, black coffee, ouzo, delicious food and beautiful beaches.

And now? What have we to show for the 'fast-food tourism' which developed from our cultural brand? Very little apart from vast debts and an all-pervading sense of gloom.

To give an indication of how it affects our daily lives, to keep bills down people have taken to switching off their central heating. One friend told me her family even uses a quick blast of a hair-dryer to keep warm.

They can’t afford expensive diesel-powered heating systems any more. It also begs the question of why we even use diesel in a land of wind, sun and rich geothermal energy sources?

But we do, the state-owned electricity grid still uses lignite – known to be one of the most inefficient fuels. And that is indicative of what little change takes place here. Things never change – except for the worse.

Since the austerity measures kicked in one business is closing after the other. Unemployment jumped from 11% last year to a current level of 21% and rising.

Among my immediate circle, I know of three people who have lost their jobs, and another who has remained unpaid over the past eight months. He’s finding it difficult to make ends meet and moved to a smaller flat with his girlfriend to cut down on costs.

Now one of the three has found a job but that involves taking a severe pay cut. 'I’m back to where I was in the 1990s,' he says. One friend who owned a printing business is now working as a security guard for €600 (£500) per month.

Many are thinking of emigrating.

On top of this there are the tax bills, one after the other. I had to pay 600 euro (£500) - the basic monthly salary in Greece - for a 'solidarity tax' a couple of months ago. At first the government said it was a one-off payment but there are fears it will be demanded again.

I earned a respectable salary last year but left in order to start my own business which still isn't profitable. But I still had to pay this tax.

After that there came a 'special tax' for anyone who owns property – it is worked out according to the area in which you live and how large your property is.

I own a small flat, so I 'only' had to spend a further €500 (£419). But - like many others - I found it hard to pay my mortgage as well as paying this new bill.

And it adds to a sense of unfairness that I have to pay an additional, brand-new tax on top of other property taxes I’ve already paid. The way it was implemented shows the government knew how unpopular it would be. So the property tax was taken through your electricity bill.

Anyone who didn’t pay would have their electricity cut off. What one side of the fence calls austerity, another calls extortion.

The middle-class feel they are constantly the ones who have to front the bills. We are the easy target, the people who can’t hide from the tax system. The rich move their money to off-shore accounts, while small businesses don’t issue bills making it impossible for the taxman to track their earnings.

A friend recently moved to a flat which needed work doing to it. But neither the painter, the electrician nor the plumber would issue a written bill.

So we get hit each and every time.

Taxes erode the middle class, while leaving systemic failures untouched. On top of that, despite many political scandals, no one with large pockets or ‘good connections’ has ever been punished. The sense of injustice infuriates the public.
The problem is that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Greeks feel that there are little prospects and no plans for growth. And there is little to choose from the political parties.

If the EU was really concerned about Greek debt, why are we not talking about cutting our defence spending? Greeks believe this is because EU countries benefit from lucrative defence contracts.

Most Greeks would agree that the country needs fiscal re-structuring, that the tax system has to be automated to reduce graft, that bureaucracy needs to be minimised and a business-friendly environment needs to be introduced. One that doesn’t require two weeks of queues and umpteen civil servants to stamp one piece of paper.

But the current measures on offer are seen as simply harsh, unfair and unsustainable.

As people’s wealth is being eroded so is their silence. Greece is going to begin to roar and its creditors are not going to like the consequences that this instability will bring.

Our leaders and the EU also bear responsibility for this need to communicate to the Greek people how they plan on making things better, how they will create jobs, efficiency and clamp down on tax evasion.

There is a Greek proverb which says 'hope dies last' but if we are ever to survive this collective anguish we need to find a source of hope - and quickly.

++++++++

My sentiments exactly ...

Emm xx

The Prodigy - or Robby's story

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 23:23:43 GMT

I have a story to share with you. Robby's story...
A good friend sent it to me by email and headed the message DO NOT DELETE, RETURN IF YOU CAN'T FORWARD in the subject line. Initially I thought it was just another one of those If-you-don't-forward-me-you'll-be-doomed-forever messages and I nearly deleted it. On second thoughts I realized though that she is not the type of person to do this kind of thing and I opened the message.

I'm glad I did; what I read went deep, and even though it is a sad story, it is also a story that brings hope and inspiration.
A story that makes you stop in your tracks and ponder your own situation, your own difficulties and the ways in which you tackle them. And perhaps highlights some options you may have to cope with situations that appear desperate and insurmountable.

Nobody ever promised us that life would be easy ~ it's simply up to us to make it the best we can under the circumstances. What we mustn't forget though is never to give up on ourselves and keep the fire burning to strive for better days ahead...

We're living in "interesting times" as the Chinese saying goes; times that will soon be heralding major changes in many aspects of life on earth... people are restless, people are dissatisfied ... people are frightened for their future.

Perhaps sharing this story will help some of us not to despair and give up, but find and unlock the courage and strength within to take the responsibility of life in our own hands and make something of it, no matter how difficult the choices are.

I sincerely hope so...

Here is Robby's story:

++quote++

This is a true story and it will give you the chills.
This is a beautiful and touching story of love and perseverance. Well worth the read.
At the prodding of my friends I am writing this story. My name is Mildred Honor and I am a former elementary school music teacher from DesMoines , Iowa . I have always supplemented my income by teaching piano lessons - something I have done for over 30 years.

During those years I found that children have many levels of musical ability, and even though I have never had the pleasure of having a prodigy, I have taught some very talented students.

However, I have also had my share of what I call 'musically challenged' pupils - one such pupil being Robby.

Robby was 11 years old when his mother (a single mom) dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer that students (especially boys) begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby. But Robby said that it had always been his mother's dream to hear him play the piano, so I took him as a student.

Well, Robby began his piano lessons and from the beginning I thought it was a hopeless endeavor. As much as Robby tried, he lacked the sense of tone and basic rhythm needed to excel. But he dutifully reviewed hisscales and some elementary piano pieces that I require all my students to learn. Over the months he tried and tried while I listened and cringed and tried to encourage him. At the end of each weekly lesson he would always say 'My mom's going to hear me play someday'. But to me, it seemed hopeless, he just did not have any inborn ability.
I only knew his mother from a distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to pick him up. She always waved and smiled, but never dropped in.

Then one day Robby stopped coming for his lessons. I thought about calling him, but assumed that because of his lack of ability he had decided to pursue something else. I was also glad that he had stopped coming - he was a bad advertisement for my teaching!

Several weeks later I mailed a flyer recital to the students' homes. To my surprise, Robby (who had received a flyer) asked me if he could be in the recital. I told him that the recital was for current pupils and that because he had dropped out, he really did not qualify. He told me that his mother had been sick and unable to take him to his piano lessons, but that he had been practicing. 'Please Miss Honor, I've just got to play' he insisted. I don't know what led me to allow him to play in the recital - perhaps it was his insistence or maybe something inside of me saying that it would be all right.

The night of the recital came and the high school gymnasium was packed with parents, relatives and friends. I put Robby last in the program, just before I was to come up and thank all the students and play a finishing piece. I thought that any damage he might do would come at the end of the program and I could always salvage his poor performance through my 'curtain closer'.

Well, the recital went off without a hitch, the students had been practicing and it showed. Then Robby came up on the stage. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair looked as though he had run an egg beater through it. 'Why wasn't he dressed up like the other students?' I thought. 'Why didn't his mother at least make him comb his hair for this
special night?' Robby pulled out the piano bench, and I was surprised when he announced that he had chosen to play Mozart's Concerto No. 21 in C Major. I was not prepared for what I heard next. His fingers were light on the keys, they even danced nimbly on the ivories. He went from pianissimo to fortissimo, from allegro to virtuoso; his suspended chords that Mozart demands were magnificent! Never had I heard Mozart played so well by anyone his age.

After six and a half minutes he ended in a grand crescendo, and everyone was on their feet in wild applause! Overcome and in tears, I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby in joy. 'I have never heard you playlike that Robby, how did you do it? ' Through the microphone Robby explained: 'Well, Miss Honor .... remember I told you that my mom was sick? Well, she actually had cancer and passed away this morning. And well ...... she was born deaf, so tonight was the first time she had ever heard me play, and I wanted to make it special.'

There wasn't a dry eye in the house that evening. As the people from Social Services led Robby from the stage to be placed in to foster care, I noticed that even their eyes were red and puffy. I thought to myselfthen how much richer my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil.

No, I have never had a prodigy, but that night I became a prodigy ....... of Robby. He was the teacher and I was the pupil, for he had taught me the meaning of perseverance and love and believing in yourself, and may be even taking a chance on someone and you didn't know why.

Robby was killed years later in the senseless bombing of the Alfred P. Murray Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April, 1995.

And now, a footnote to the story. If you are thinking about forwarding this message, you are probably wondering which people on your address list aren't the 'appropriate' ones to receive this type of message. The person who sent this to you believes that we can all make a difference! So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice. Do we act with compassion or do we pass up that opportunity and leave the world a bit colder in the process?

You now have two choices: 1. Delete this; OR 2. Forward it to the people you care about. You know the choice I made.

Thank you for reading this.

May God Bless you today, tomorrow and always.
If God didn't have a purpose for us, we wouldn't be here!
--
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Leave the rest to God.

++Unquote++

There is nothing I can add here that could possibly enrich this story except for one thing:
Mozart's very own Concerto No. 21 in C major
I invite you to tune in, as I say goodnight to you from a turbulent day in the history of Greece and her people...

Emm xx

MY CUT ON CNN'S DOCU RE CHILD SEX TRADE AND OTHER "MODERN-DAY" SLAVERY PRACTICES

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:50:51 GMT

part of the screenshot of CNN's Freedom Project - click on the picture to open the site

This last weekend CNN ran a documentary as part of the CNN Freedom Project to end modern-day slavery which I watched together with my husband.

After watching - in disbelief and horror - Saturday's first part we both felt that even though the film director, Robert Bilheimer, deserves an accolade for all the work he had poured into the making of the documentary, the film should have been longer and should have exposed many more details of the practices that were undoubtedly discovered during the four years it took to put this work together. I decided to hold my tongue and not pass any comments until after watching the entire program. I wanted to watch both parts before commenting and anticipated the second part with a fair amount of dread and discomfort.

It was too late last night to post a comment, and I'm afraid also that my emotions immediately following the program were too raw and ran too deeply.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I sat there, silent tears running down my cheeks -silent screams painfully stabbing at my conscience- asking myself what I would do if I were the one to mete out justice. How can I begin to describe the intensity of the rage I felt towards the abductors, rapists, child abusers and traffickers... It really frightened me because it made me realize that I too might be able to do unspeakably bad things, at least in the eyes of the law, if not in the eyes of the Maker. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth... and even though deep down I don't believe in "two wrongs making one right", my heart screamed MURDER!!

I have long come to understand and realize that the word "justice" is but an aberration of moral rectitude - justice has pretty much nothing to do with "doing the right thing"... and seeing people who should be behind bars for life with keys thrown away FOREVER walk out after a few years while the victims are either dead or barely more than walking zombies just tears me apart. The law is an ASS, but no bigger ass than there where its DUTY should be to protect the CHILD at ALL COST! An abominal failure of global proportions...

I find it difficult to believe that these situations have existed for as long as man has roamed this planet only to be highlighted over the recent years, while we're only "tackling" the problem now... Were we asleep all that time - did our eyes really not see, our ears not hear and our mouths refuse to speak up for those who could not? I shudder at the thought that I have to include myself here - I'm as guilty as anyone else...and I am rather disturbed by the thought.

Whilst I applaud and admire the people who have committed themselves to help eradicate these horrific and despicable practices, I fear deep in my heart that they are fighting the Lernaean hydra: cut off one head and two new ones appear in its place. How many "Heraclesses" will we need to combat these unspeakable crimes? Is the power of evil so almighty that it is capable of simply taking over the life of decent, good folk in one big gulp?

STOP THE SILENCE (downloaded picture)

Perhaps I should seek and accept some form of solace in the fact that there are "success stories" where children have returned from the abyss of despair and horror sustained in the child sex trade... yet I ask myself just how much psychological damage has been done to them that will never see the light of day? These horrors should have never occurred in the first place, and the fact that they did and continue to do every minute we are breathing should make us wonder what is happening to man in our world. What is it that makes people do these unspeakable things to fellow man, and worse still to our CHILDREN, our future?

I hope from the bottom of my heart that with this documentary Robert Bilheimer will have shaken so many of us into action that we can all together make a REAL difference to the lives of the countless young souls all over the world who will otherwise lose their innocence, be tortured and abused, and ultimately lose their life at the hands of people whom they should have been able to trust with that same life...

My post may seem long ~ rest assured that it doesn't even begin to touch upon what is moving inside me... I lack both the words and the mental strength to adequately express the feelings and turmoil I feel...

I can but rely on my personal beliefs and convictions that things will only change by setting an example and taking action ourself~ so, I shall keep smiling at the beautiful things in life and do all in my power within my own little world to change things for the better...

Do you have the heart to join me and all those who have set out on a road of uncertainty and sometimes even peril with genuine determination to create a better world for our children, for within this dimension of our world as we know it lies what I call true EVIL, and evil should have no place here.

Emm x

THE PIANO PLAYER IN A WHORE HOUSE or what would Harry have done on today's political stage?

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:46:46 GMT

Harry & Bess Truman (Google download)

This morning my email inbox featured a rather interesting message from a friend in America; it's one of those messages that is doing the rounds right now because of the political situation in the US, the people's less than happy frame of mind toward their governing "fathers and mothers", so to speak...

A lot has changed since Harry Truman's days; I'm afraid in many respects not all for the good of either The People or The Country itself. However, this is not an exercise in bashing anybody or becoming involved in political bantering; nor is it meant to take political sides ~ I don't DO politics! The post serves mainly as a reminder that there ARE people out there with moral integrity and who believe that being President and running a country has to be for the Good of the People... Our problem lies in that it appears to be diffult to find those people and let them lead us without being led astray!

The young ones among you won't remember Truman, except perhaps from history books; however, his moral attitude, were it adopted by the leaders in today's world, would be one that could truly change the face of politics worldwide and not only in the USA.

Read on, and find out for yourself what I'm talking about...
And thank you, Cecil, for passing this on to us... it's definitely food for thought!

++++quote++++

Thought you'd enjoy this!
It's one you want your Children and Grandchildren to read.
They won't believe this happened, but it DID.
Harry & Bess
(This seems unreal.)

Harry Truman was a different kind of President. He probably made as many, or more important decisions regarding our nation's history as any of the other 42 Presidents preceding him. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he did after he left the White House.

The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Independence Missouri. His wife had inherited the house from her mother and father and, other than their years in the White House, they lived their entire lives there.

When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an 'allowance' and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year.

After President Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There was no Secret Service following them.

When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale."

Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."

As president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.

Modern politicians have found a new level of success in cashing in on the Presidency, resulting in untold wealth.

Today, many in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices. Political offices are now for sale (cf. Illinois ).

Good old Harry Truman was correct when he observed, "My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!"

I say dig him up and clone him!

++++unquote++++

Feel free to pass this note on to your friends; they might appreciate it...

Smiles,

Emm :))

Independence Missouri, Home of President Harry Truman, now a national historic site (Google download)

FILAKIA FROM THE ELPIDA RESORT - MY EXTENDED BIRTHDAY TREAT!

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:43:19 GMT

Filakia from the Elpida Resort ~ (kisses from the Elpida Resort) 17 August 2011

Just a quick update, following my last two posts on the subject of the surprise my husband sprang on me for my b-day!

My birthday treat is a total success, I can guarantee that much...!

Hubs was absolutely right when he said that I needed to wind down for a few days, recharge the batteries and just do sweet nothing... Well, believe me, I've been doing a lot of sweet nothing these last three days!

Thoroughly enjoying the stay ~ it's extremely relaxing and because it's the height of the tourist season we've been lucky in that the hotel was quite empty; I know, this probably sounds strange, but it's true. Being situated inland, some 70km from the seaside, people have been gravitating toward to beaches rather than sitting on a cool terrace in the hills! Understandably so...

My better half, however, knew very well that the last thing on my mind would be masses of semi-naked bodies on sandy beaches, noisy children (no matter how much I love 'em!) or local traffic that prevents you from making any progress, so he wisely chose a haven of peace and tranquility to get my mental balance sorted!

One fly in the ointment: the spa and beauty center are closed too until next week... :(
Mmm...perhaps that could be the perfect excuse for another short break in the not too distant future, I wonder...??
I wouldn't mind, I can assure you!

Before heading out to have a drink with some friends, let me share some of the snapshots I took ~ hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed being here!

Thanks for visiting!
Would love to read your comments...!

With happy, relaxed smiles from the Elpida Spa Resort...

Emm :))
(PS: if you click in the LEFT TOP corner of the first picture you can opt to play the pics in a loop!)

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE...

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:39:35 GMT

So here I am, another year older and none the wiser...
Well ~ that's a little bit of a fib...

What a journey it has been, this last year!
It's been mainly a journey of discovery ~ a true virtual adventure, meeting people all over the world and making new friends - all in cyberspace. Learning about things I had never envisaged in my wildest dreams I would ever become involved in.
Looking upon my world with renewed interest, with new "eyes" and realising that the future holds so much more yet to be uncovered...

The last year has been a year of searching and finding, then taking on new routes, new directions, a new lease of life!
I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead...

Today, though, is not about the future... today is about now, about me and my better half, or should I perhaps have said my better half and me? More specifically about the surprise he'd organised for my birthday today, knowing that I'd had a pretty intense period of hard work, long days, long nights and little respite behind me, and more of the same ahead of me...

I promised I'd resurface sometime today and share with you what he'd had in store...
So, here I am, sharing...

Greetings from our hideout for the day...just click, visit the site, walk in... head for the pool area and grab that lounger next to us... we're happy to welcome you with a cool drink and a table full of mezedes!

Boy, am I enjoying this special treat!

With happy, contented smiles from the Elpida Spa Resort....

yours,

Emm :-)
PS:
Here is a slideshow of the few of the pics I took during the day we've spent here so far...
We were lucky too, in that we witnessed an engagement party that had been organised for the evening...
Unfortunately my night-photograpy abilities still leave a bit to be desired... :-(
Anyways... Enjoy! There will be more to come, since this is a SPA hotel...!!
Emm xx

THE CLEAN-UP BEGINS, or the Power of People joined by Social Media With a Sting at the End

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:26:37 GMT

downloaded press images of the clean-up after the riots in Britain - 10 Aug 2011

There are few things more heartwarming and reassuring than seeing communities rally together to start the clean-up in an effort to restore normality and order in areas that resemble Second World War bombsites following the violent events that are shaking Britain -and the world- to the core. But that is exactly what has been happening....

+++ quote +++

Residents in London and beyond have pledged to reclaim streets vandalised by rioters by organising spot clean-up squads.

Within hours of the unrest escalating, numerous Facebook groups had been set up and local people were arranging to meet using the Twitter hash tag #riotcleanup.

"Clean up starting in an hour. About 200 odd people with broom and marigolds ready to take our town back! Come down!" was among typical postings made on social media.

A special website set up to help co-ordinate the efforts has crashed after being overwhelmed by visitors.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people living in affected boroughs have called their local councils, asking to help with the clear-up.

Croydon Council told Sky News that more than 500 people had rung this morning to offer their assistance, and Hackney Council reported similar support.

Both councils say their clean-up efforts are under control, having begun in the early hours of this morning.

But they are taking names and contact numbers of volunteers in case they are needed later.

A Hackney Council spokesperson said it was "great to see the community coming together" following the unrest that has seen dozens of local businesses damaged.

+++ unquote +++

In the aftermath of these traumatic events, many legal aspects relating to the subsequent "treatment" of the culprits will have to come under close scrutinity and will no doubt be the subject of further controversy. However, for the time being it is with a huge sigh of relief that I see that the last vestiges of human decency have not yet been completely pulled down and that there are decent, caring people out there who take the meaning of "being part of a community" very serious indeed... and ACT accordingly.

Heartwarming, to say the least!

Whilst there are numerous issues related to these events boiling close to the surface that must be dealt with at some point sooner rather than later, I have chosen to concentrate on the positive attitude and response of those people who have reacted with written comments to news flashes, and am offering you here a brief selection to highlight the importance of pulling together for the benefit of a community... a lesson we could all learn from. These comments are straight copy/pastes without attention being paid to any grammar or syntax issues, nor should they be taken out of context as a means of putting an adverse slant in reporting about these events. As I said, many issues will require in-depth analysis and perhaps a change of policies and laws before being satisfactorily solved. The comments do NOT reflect my personal position on things and should not be seen in that light. They do however, highlight some of the issues at stake here...

+++ quote +++

...This is what people are about all pulling together. Good luck to everybody that is helping out. You are the hero's.Don't let the yobs destroy you areas stand up to them on mass together you are stronger than these spineless yobs...

... WELL DONE! to the people who are volunteering to help with the clean up.Thank goodness there are decent people amongst those thugs and vandals that are destroying your area and property. I do admire you. My thoughts are with you. Good Luck!...

...If this is the start of taking back your town I wish you all the good fortune and luck possable. What starts with brushes and bin bags can bring a community together...

...Somebody likened the burning buildings to the wartime Blitz. It's true ..... and the wonderful response from the residents is also just like the spirit of the Blitz...

...This is what the true brit is about rallying round in times of crisis. Let this be a lesson to the SCUM who caused all this...

...the police have done a cracking job against appalling odds but its now time for us the honest ordinary folk to take back our towns and cities and we must be given the power to defend ourselves and our properties without us being in the firing line. there has been a major change in the way people behave and we are witnessing complete lawlessness which must be combatted no matter what it takes. if people have to be locked up for years in damp dingy prisons for this so be it.we cannot continue like this...

...Home now after a long day on the brooms. If I need to, I'll do it again tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that...

...Councils and residents use social media to organise a mass clean-up and support for businesses affected by rioting across London...

+++ unquote +++

I sign off for today in the hope that not only will the good people of Britain rally together to help put things back in order, but that these events will prompt the world to take notice and start looking into ways in which we can promote social happiness rather than social unrest...

With a reluctant smile and hope for a brighter future

Emm :}

PS: I had only just written and posted this blog when I came across this You Tube clip that virtually destroyed my positive approach to these events...
Lord, what have some of us come to...It's simply beyond words...

Emm :((

RIOTS, RIOTS AND MORE BLOODY RIOTS! (*with note at end)

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:00:00 GMT

The riots in panorama from downloaded media shots - Britain 7-9 August 2011

I am appalled ~ but more so, deeply saddened ~ by the latest developments on Britain's streets.

What started as a spark has grown totally out of hand and people all over the world look on and can only shake their heads in disbelief.

I'm quoting the BBC's news headlines on these atrocious and shocking events:

+++Quote+++
Rioting has spread across London on a third night of violence, with unrest flaring in other English cities.

An extra 1,700 police officers were deployed in London, where shops were looted and buildings were set alight.
Birmingham, Liverpool, Nottingham and Bristol also saw violence.

The prime minister has returned early from his holiday to discuss the unrest, which first flared on Saturday after a peaceful protest in Tottenham over the fatal shooting of a man by police.

At least 400 people have been arrested following a wave of "copycat criminal activity" across London over the past three days, the Met Police said. More than 69 people have been charged with various offences.

Three people are being questioned on suspicion of attempted murder after a police officer was injured by a car in Wembley, north-west London, while trying to stop suspected looters.

Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steven Kavanagh said it was a "shocking and appalling morning for London to wake up to".
"The Met was stretched beyond belief in a way that it has never experienced before," he told BBC Breakfast.

Acting Commissioner Tim Godwin ruled out bringing in the Army to help police tackle the violence, but said: "We will be out there in ever greater numbers tonight."

On Twitter, Scotland Yard said: "In the next 24 hours there will be 13,000 police officers on duty in London."
...
+++Unquote+++

What is happening in our world?
Why is there so much violence bubbling up everywhere?
What has gone wrong ... where have WE gone wrong?
Have we not had enough wars and conflicts, enough killing and bloodshed to last us a lifetime?
Has man not learned anything?

Obviously not...

Yet the answer could be quite simple:

An old Cherokee told his grandson, "My son, there's a battle between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It's anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies, ego. The other is Good. It's joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, truth." The grandson thought about it and asks his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

STOP FEEDING THE EVIL WOLF !!

Which wolf will You feed? - Fractal reproduced with kind permission of Delf Lepidosiren, Aug 9, 2011

Note: since writing this post, I was made aware of the following clip that appeared on YouTube, which clearly shows that we should not tar everyone with the same brush... there are people out there who would do anything to make things undone and are just simple and decent caring folk...
My belief in humanity has not been totally destroyed...

Emm :-}

LOVE IN

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 21:30:43 GMT

A quickie today!
I just have to share this...

At four o'clock this afternoon I received a very strange email.
It simply read:

How do you fancy a love in?
You can be Yoko.

It was from my husband
I'd better explain.

Hubs has been away in Thessaloniki for the past week or so at Son-Number-One's former apartment, Son-Number-One now having moved to Athens.

Hubs is spending much needed solitude deeply engrossed in his writings and hates distractions---or so I thought.

My first thought to surface from among the jumble was, o.k. it's Saturday, Hubs has strolled along the promenade to one of the tavernas, had some lunch and perhaps a drop too much Malamatina.(Malamatina, by the way, is a local retsina, my husband's favourite).

So, I telephoned.

"Yup"
That's how my husband answers the phone.
"Are you alright?"
"Couldn't be better, why?"
"Well, you've just sent me a rather strange email"
"What's strange about it"
"Well it said "Do you fancy a Love in?"
"And?"
I hesitated
"Well do you?
I burst out laughing.

To those of you who don't know me too well I'd better explain that we've been very happily married for the past 31yrs, have two grown up sons and my husband is midway between 73 and 74.
Extremely fit but still 73.

So, to be asked at this stage of your life if you fancy a Love In is perhaps a little bit out of the ordinary. Wonderful, but still out of the ordinary!

He was speaking again.
"Listen, I've been thinking. It's your birthday on the 15th ~ so how about we do something a little different for a few days. What do you think?"
"Err, like what?"
"Surprise, yes or no"
"Well, yes."
"O.K., if you can be here with the car for about 11.30 next Sunday morning that should be fine.
Talk to you later, must get on while the thoughts are in the head. Tata!"

And so, I appear to be in for a bit of a surprise.
I don't know where I'm going or for how long but I promise - yes, I promise - sometime on Monday 15th I'll surface and let you know!

Happy smiles,
Emm :))

PS: go on... enjoy this "oldie"...