Decoy

During a routine police patrol, an officer parked his car outside a bar in Kinston, North Carolina. After last call, the officer noticed a man leaving the bar so apparently intoxicated that he could barely walk. The man stumbled around the parking lot for a few minutes, with the officer quietly observing.

After what seemed an eternity, in which he tried his keys on five different vehicles, the man managed to find his car and fall into it. He sat there for a few minutes as a number of other patrons left the bar and drove off. Finally he started the car, switched the wipers on and off; it was a fine, dry summer night, flicked the blinkers on and off a couple of times, honked the horn and then switched on the lights. He moved the vehicle forward a few inches, reversed a little, and then remained still for a few more minutes as some more of the other patrons’ vehicles left.

At last, when his was the only car left in the parking lot, he pulled out and drove slowly down the road.

The police officer, having waited patiently all this time, now started up his patrol car, put on the flashing lights, and promptly pulled the man over and administered a breathalyzer test.

To his amazement, the breathalyzer indicated no evidence that the man had consumed any alcohol at all! Dumbfounded, the officer said, ‘I’ll have to ask you to accompany me to the police station. This breathalyzer equipment must be broken.’

‘I doubt it,’ said the truly proud Redneck. ‘Tonight I’m the designated decoy.’

Smell The Flowers

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.”

The old woman smiled, “Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?” “That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.” “For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

So, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

MARRIAGE

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly.

She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.

She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane.

When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.

She requested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Jane about my wife's divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.

On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy.

I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.

Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead. My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce.-- At least, in the eyes of our son--- I'm a loving husband....

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

If you don't share this, nothing will happen to you.

If you do, you just might save a marriage. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

A CHRIST-CENTERED MARRIAGE IS A MARRIAGE THAT IS SURE TO LAST A LIFETIME.

So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. Matthew 19:6.

By Stephanie Halmilton

Freedom from self

 We always long for what we don't have and so having what you long for is the only way to free yourself from dissatisfaction. We have blamed a lot of things for the lack of freedom in our lives such that it seems revolutionary to go around blaming things and accuse them of oppression. Out of everything one thing that normally escapes blame is Self. Our ability to keep wanting what we don't need makes us vulnerable to dissatisfaction and there isn't a strong sense of self-worth in dissatisfaction, this is somehow the sickness of the whole world. "You can't have it all" is a familiar phrase of comfort to out greedy souls that is lacking in everything with all its surrounded by. We fill the world with everything but ourselves and so with all that we accumulate we still longing for more not knowing that the sense of lack is an indication that you have jailed yourself to free the world to rule you. Contentment is a sense of being satisfied even though you may not have everything but its knowing that you have the one thing that matters, Self. The world has pushed us to be defined by what we achive and not what we attain, people undress themselves to achive fame and attain shame. We drug ourselves with achievements when the emptiness of self shouts silently that "with all you have, you remain nothing". It is said "what good is it to gain the world and lose yourself" With all priority the world advocates self is the last and so we remain salves to our very being, don't free the world free yourself!!!!

 By Siphesihle Shabalala
 Author of Well of Wisdom

© [Freethinkersclub] [2013] All Rights Reserved No part of this website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author and blog, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials.

Dream or Die

"I have a dream" these words are probably amongst the most famous that anyone has spoken. This is a phrase that propelled the great Martin Luther towards his purpose. These are the words of his vow even to the point of death, this vow made him a valuable man even years after his death. Its a dream that makes a difference, such are people who dare to die so that their dream can forever live. If death is not an intimidation then destiny is the ultimate, many people live in the shadow of fear and put their potential in their grave waiting for their days to end while living a life of mediocre. A dead person is immune to everything that can stimulate life back into their body, such is to be a dreamer: you must be immune to every thing that stairs up elements that pull against your dream. The premise of a dream must be discussed with consideration that destiny is persuade in day light, purpose does not make problems disappear rather they are magnified, therefore we must be clear that the pursuit of purpose is a process and can never at any point be achieved instantly but requires patience and persistence. Clearly define what you see(dream) and develop how you'll get there (destiny). Its is easy to be caught in the day to day busyness without realizing you've lost direction. A small step towards a deliberate direction with birth a drastic destiny. The are three things that will make a dream a day light reality, 1. Establish it as your destiny, 2. Develop direction toward destiny(plan) and 3. Reduce the distance between your dream and destiny by taking a deliberate step toward the direction of destiny. Dreams never die, but destinies can be delay till the person dies. Do it, do it today!!!

by
Siphesihle AfrikaWisdom Shabalala
© [Freethinkersclub] [2013] All Rights Reserved No part of this website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author and blog, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials.

What is Your Reality?

“The Happiest Place on Earth.” “There’s no Substitute.” “I’m Loving It.” Ordinary sentences, however behind these ordinary phrases billion dollar corporations have taken ownership of these slogans. They have spent a great amount of time and money to come up with a sentence, which they think would entice consumers the best in order to choose their product over the abundance of alternatives, if you can afford it that is.

Every year hundred thousands of dollars are spent on advertising and publicity budgets in order to create a world where the consumer is the protagonist and as the hero of this world you really cannot live without their product or brand. In order to make a profit, one needs to be prepared to invest. In this case the investment is the numerous research in human behavior, human expenditures and how to link these two together. Roderick White, writer of many advertising books points out that an American Advertising agency adheres to the following rules:

Rule 1: There are no rules

Rule 2: There may be exceptions to rule 1

But also, there are 5 general rules:

1. Every ad should embody a clear, straightforward proposition

2. Say what you want to say in as few words as possible

3. There is no place for humor in advertising

4. Give the consumer credit for some intelligence

5. Be original[1]

Rule 4 clearly points out their perception of the average consumer they wish to target. In addition David Ogilvy once wrote: “Products, like people, have personalities which can make or break them in the market place.”[2]With this in mind companies assign emotional appeal to their products or brand creating the ultimate emotional selling proposition[3]. They offer their aid in order to ensure that the perception of others on your role in society is flawless. The perception of reality is easily distorted; the basic fears, insecurities and inabilities are easily identified which the companies will gladly take advantage of as their products will complete you and make you superior to anybody else.

Why should we pay attention to the ugly truth anyway? If you can choose to look at your handsome IPhone 5 retina screen or the fact that the phone you are looking at in question was actually built by teenagers who earn, about 70 cents an hour, while you paid, let’s say $700-$800 for it. The only party who celebrates this difference is a small percentage of the world who is cashing in their money either way.

The surge of information available these days makes it hard to actually find what you are looking for. Distraction is all around. Whether by brands and products claiming that you need them, not to mention the discounts that brings you a step closer to them, or channels that provide you with information or entertainment, also called infotainment. One click and you are further removed from your destination.

While you had a route planned you actually end up taking side roads, (a cute dress), alleyways (information on the Boston bombing and becoming an investigative reporter crosses your mind), high ways, (Washington re-opens peace talks between Israel and Palestine and you actually think you have the solution), and even go cross continent (all inclusive holidays to Thailand, you are on the verge of booking a ticket). It does make your journey more exciting, however you never seem to reach your destination - and you never made it to Thailand either. In a matter of minutes a wave of information has been presented to you, all the while you try to figure out how to avoid paying shipping costs for that cute dress, you have forgotten what you were looking for in the first place.

The supply of information on the internet is endless, in fact every two days the amount of information posted on the internet equals all the information that has ever been gathered from the start of civilization until 2003. This equals to 5 Exabytes[4]. The below graph indicates how much an Exabyte actually is.

Prefixes for multiples of bits (b) or bytes (B)
Decimal Value Metric 1000 k kilo 10002 M mega 10003 G giga 10004 T tera 10005 P peta 10006 E exa 10007 Z zetta 10008 Y yotta	Binary Value JEDEC IEC 1024 K kilo Ki kibi 10242 M mega Mi mebi 10243 G giga Gi gibi 10244 T tera Ti tebi 10245 Pi pebi 10246 Ei exbi 10247 Zi zebi 10248 Yi yobi

Figure 1.[5]

In this sense the Internet is the number one source to gather information. It has turned people into information junkies. Information junkies like to collect as much information is possible, whether the information is relevant is not important. They like to share what they know. Some would consider knowledge is power. A fierce competition of cerebral data harboring seems to be at hand. They perpetually munch on data and regurgitate the information while being completely indifferent of the situation they are in.

In essence the amount of information you can store in your brain could enhance your role within society adding to all the new products you have just purchased and brands you associate yourself with, well equipped to play any role society deems you worthy to portray. A first impression can have you classified in four categories,

- without even having said one word - the clothes you are wearing, the color of your skin, your hairstyle and the expression on your face. Finally the words that come out of your mouth can either confirm the classification or inconveniently confuse the categorization process, also knows as cognitive dissonance.

Whether you are perfectly fine living in your own warped reality or you are being violently pulled from your dormant state the reality is that you believe what you want to believe.

By Julie Ng

---

[1] Roderick White: Advertising – what it is and how to do it. McGraw Hill, Maidenhead 1980.

[2] David Ogilvy: Ogilvy on Advertising. Pan Books, London 1983.

[3] Philip Kotler: Marketing Management. Prentice Hall.

[4]http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/04/schmidt-data/

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byte

© [Freethinkersclub] [2013]
All Rights Reserved
No part of this website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author and blog, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials.

Wrong connection

We live in a society, which, if you are lucky, enables men and women alike to dream and have the freedom to give a shot at actually achieving it.

However, how free are we in a world where all your movements can and will be monitored should they feel that you are a threat to the system? A system fueled by money and power. Two elements that have seeped into our lives creating the disillusion that it increases the quality of life, two elements that have divided human from humanity. Escaping the system is not an option. The current way of regulation has been ingrained throughout the years and the roots have been affecting not only every citizen in this world but more importantly the planet itself. Long-term vision in this case is non-existent, if we continue to exploit the earth’s natural resources at the current rate, living lavishly as we do, the planet’s resources will be completely exhausted within, 50 years.

Why would we even worry or think about the generations yet to come? After all, all we want is the newest smartphone, the newest and fastest car, a nice and big house, go to faraway places, we want everything to be done at our convenience and if it does not happen we complain mercilessly about it. Convenience has become the new norm. If it does not meet our standard, - mind you, there are more or less 7 billion people on this planet so what is exactly the right standard? - then it is obviously below par. Nonetheless, 1 in 8 people in the world suffer from chronic undernourishment, they have been rejected by society, they are not fit to compete within society and keep up with the standards that the system has imposed upon us in the first place.

The boundaries of these standards are shifting; the pace of life is accelerating whereby the focus is put on future demands. Tomorrow is already too late, what would the consumer want in 5, 10, 15, 20 years from now? As Apple coyly stated in the distant past of 2001, “The Future is Here”. And they are right. In order to keep up with this tremendous speed, multitasking seems to be a fundamental skill an individual needs to possess. While on the phone with one person you can easily be chatting with your friend online at the very same time. Social networks make it easy to connect with people. However, these days being connected carries a downright different connotation. Supposedly this type of connection does more justice to its physical meaning as the social network connection consists of a link between points through fiber-optic cables. Each connection in your social network is merely a point within the ever-expanding length of cables. Real human connection seems to get lost on the cyber highway. The screen that is willingly put between us is convenient, it is a place where you can hide and safeguard the role you are playing and desperately trying to uphold within society. The more different screens you have to put between you and the other the better; a self-actualization through the materials you have worked so hard to pay for.

Staying in touch has been demoted to text messages. Nobody calls any more, let alone taking the time to write an actual handwritten letter. While the standard of living has increased tremendously, the value of connectivity has deteriorated dramatically. As a result, people not only lose touch of human connectivity but have devalued being in touch with humanity and compassion. Vulnerability continues to be a sign of weakness, courage continues to be for the brave who dare to stare danger right in the eyes, compassion is left for the nuns and connectivity can be found at your provider.

By Julie Ng

© [Freethinkersclub] [2013]
All Rights Reserved
No part of this website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author and blog, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials.

In Case You Missed It, Government Confirms And Reports That Marijuana Prevents Or Cures Certain Cancers

In a recent report, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the Federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), stated that marijuana “inhibited the survival of both estrogen receptor–positive and estrogen receptor–negative breast cancer cell lines.”

The same report showed marijuana slows or stops the growth of certain lung cancer cells and suggested that marijuana may provide “risk reduction and treatment of colorectal cancer.”

Referring to the NCI report, Patient Rights attorney Matthew Pappas said, “The Federal government’s continuing attack on people prescribed medical cannabis by their doctors is hypocritical considering the benefits reported by its own National Cancer Institute.”

Pappas represents patients in defending their right to reasonably obtain medical marijuana. The patients contend the Federal government and various municipalities are trying to prevent them from obtaining cannabis for medical purposes in direct contravention of state laws.

“Cities that ban dispensaries are denying patients the ability to obtain a medicine the Federal government’s National Institutes of Health says fights cancer and they’re doing it with the Obama Administration’s help.” Recently, the City of Los Angeles repealed its ban of medical marijuana collectives after Bill Rosendahl, a member of its city council diagnosed with cancer and prescribed medical marijuana said to fellow council members about the ban, “You want to kill me? You want to throw me under the bus?”

The NCI report also examined whether patients who smoke marijuana rather than ingesting it orally are exposed to a higher risk of lung and certain digestive system cancers. According to the government, 19 studies “failed to demonstrate statistically significant associations between marijuana inhalation and lung cancer.” The report also identified a separate study of 611 lung cancer patients that showed marijuana was “not associated with an increased risk of lung cancer or other upper aerodigestive tract cancers and found no positive associations with any cancer type.” In the area of prostate cancer, the NCI report was inconclusive and suggested further research was necessary. In its report, the National Cancer Institute also identified a “study of intratumoral injection of delta-9-THC in patients with recurrent glioblastoma” that showed tumor reduction in the test participants.

Despite the Federal government sanctioned and authorized NCI report, Pappas said Congress and the Obama Administration have continued to thwart marijuana research. In an announced effort to displace state medical marijuana laws, the Office of National Drug Control Policy described “medical” marijuana as a “myth” fueling “troubling misconceptions” in documents found on its website.

The Federal government appears to be focused on creating more chemical drugs, many of which are the subject of various attorney television commercials seeking out those adversely impacted by those drugs.

Pappas said both the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Office of National Drug Control Policy continue to assert marijuana lacks any medicinal value despite the research showing cannabis reduces certain cancer risks and inhibits the growth of tumor cells. He also commented that the Federal government’s anti-marijuana position contributes to and encourages prejudice and public misconception about the legitimate use of medical cannabis as treatment for seriously ill patients.

In addition to anti-cancer properties, separate research reported marijuana appears to have “profound nerve-protective and brain-enhancing properties that could potentially treat many neurodegenerative disorders.” In its report, the National Cancer Institute stated cannabis effectively treats insomnia and referenced a placebo-controlled study in cancer patients showing increased quality of sleep and relaxation in those treated with tetrahydrocannabinol, an active component in marijuana.

Responding to a White House statement that only a small percentage of patients prescribed medical cannabis under state laws use it to treat cancer, Pappas said “marijuana isn’t just for cancer or AIDS patients – it can also treat, for example, sleeplessness.” Although generally not a life threatening condition, Pappas referred to insomnia as a health issue regularly treated with prescription drugs zolpidem (brand name Ambien) and eszopiclone (brand name Lunesta).

According to their manufacturers’ websites, zolpidem and eszopiclone have been shown to cause severe side effects including aggressiveness, hallucinations, confusion, or suicidal thoughts. Pappas noted that, unlike those drugs, studies on insomnia similar to those reported by the National Cancer Institute show medical marijuana effectively treats insomnia at a far lower cost and with fewer side effects. Marijuana has also been prescribed for glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and a variety of other physical and mental conditions.

Addressing the White House website statement that medical marijuana should remain criminally illegal under federal law, Pappas said that “with every drug, the doctor must consider the benefits versus any possible side effects. In its 3000-plus year history of medicinal use, there has never been a known, confirmed death caused by overdose of marijuana. To suggest that prescription drugs known to have severe negative side effects are alright and that marijuana can only be used for cancer or AIDS is nonsensical. It demonstrates how the Federal government’s decision to usurp state sovereignty is harming people because burdening citizens with federal criminal records based on medical marijuana provided for under state law is simply wrong. To continue outlawing the use of a drug shown to have life-saving, anti-cancer benefits that has been used safely as a medication for thousands of years is irresponsible.”
source -global news wire