May 29, 2006

What "Memorial" Did You Celebrate?
By Nathan A. Barton (TM and © 2006)

In many ways, of course, Memorial Day in the US has replaced the more ancient tradition of All-Saints Day - it is no longer (and for many people has not been for many years) limited to remembering the fallen in war, but those lost in whatever way: accident, murder, even illness and age. I suppose that technically it is therefore more inclusive (a modern virtue, I know) than All-Saints - since many so honored were clearly NOT. But like All-Saints Day, tainted and overshadowed by the pagan joys of Halloween, Memorial Day has become another generic "bank holiday" with nothing other than a three-day weekend and a car race to remember. The real reason (as with virtually every other holiday on the calendar) is lost to the commercialization and socialization of the time. Superbowl Sunday is celebrated more religiously, I fear. (Read the rest here)

Looking For Health - Naturally
By Susan Callaway, RN

Who Would Have Thought That Acupressure Could Relieve Social Anxiety Better Than Drugs or Therapy?

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) Americans say they are more afraid of public speaking than they are of snakes or spiders. Most live normal lives despite their stage fright, but an estimated 35 million suffer from social anxiety disorder, a severe fear of meeting strangers, becoming the center or focus of attention, or performing for a group. Also known as social phobia, social anxiety is the third most common psychiatric disorder in the United States after depression and alcohol dependence. Psychiatric drugs that treat the condition are being tested in clinical trials.

But the best treatment for social anxiety, according to a growing number of psychologists and health care professionals, may be a drug-free do-it-yourself procedure called EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques). Its premise is that fears, phobias, and the physical symptoms they generate are caused by disruptions along the body’s energy meridians. These are the same energy paths mapped thousands of years ago by Chinese acupuncturists. Stimulating key acupuncture points by tapping on them with the fingertips restores the energy flow and alleviates symptoms. (Read the rest here)

The Da Vinci Code:
What it Means — And What it Doesn't
By Lady Liberty

I like to read, and I'm always on the look-out for good books. When I heard so much about "The Da Vinci Code," I obviously just had to take a look for myself. It's testament to just how good it is that I wasn't disappointed when I finally did get the chance to read it.

Although I have my favorite genres (science fiction and horror, lest any of you wonder), I also read quite a variety of other kinds of things which includes both short and long forms of fiction, non-fiction, and commentary. I don't typically find myself confused by any of these things. For example, when I read one of Stephen King's horror novels, I'm usually pretty sure that my car isn't going to attack me when I go out to the garage, or if I happen to read a statement from one politician or another, I rarely assume it's anything but an exercise in creative writing. (Read the rest here)

Stop the NAIS
by Congressman Ron Paul - R - TX

The House of Representatives recently passed funding for a new federal mandate that threatens to put thousands of small farmers and ranchers out of business. The National Animal Identification System, known as NAIS, is an expensive and unnecessary federal program that requires owners of livestock-- cattle, dairy, poultry, and even horses-- to tag animals with electronic tracking devices. The intrusive monitoring system amounts to nothing more than a tax on livestock owners, allowing the federal government access to detailed information about their private property.

In typical Washington-speak, NAIS is “voluntary”—provided USDA bureaucrats are satisfied with the level of cooperation. Trust me, NAIS will be mandatory within a few years. When was the last time a new federal program did not expand once implemented? (Read the rest here)

Government Secrecy Is a Farce
By Ivan Eland

Over the weekend, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales made a draconian threat to prosecute journalists for writing about the National Security Agency’s (NSA’s) clandestine and illegal monitoring of U.S.-overseas telephone calls. That threat shows what an Orwellian farce the government’s classified information system has become.

Gonzales is threatening to prosecute reporters under the 1917 Espionage Act. This anachronistic act was passed during World War I to make it illegal for unauthorized personnel to receive and transmit national defense information. The law is also currently being used to prosecute two lobbyists from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) for obtaining and transmitting classified information they received from a U.S. Defense Department employee. The lobbyists’ lawyers have filed a motion in court arguing that the law is an unconstitutional breach of the First Amendment right to free speech. (Read the rest here)

Has Matriarchy Made The Sexes Equal?
By Carey Roberts

A number of years ago someone came up with the idea that Patriarchy was the cause of untold misery and hardship of women. So why not let the ladies run the show for awhile and see if they can clean up the mess?

That idea began to take root, and on January 20, 1993, the Matriarchy came into power. That's the day the Rodham-Clinton co-presidency checked into the White House.

After thirteen years of social engineering designed to advance the feminist agenda, we can ask, Are we now closer to the long-awaited gender utopia? Read the rest here)

Politically Incorrect Movie Reviews
United 93
By RadioFree Rocky D

As the sun rose on September 11, 2001, screechy liberals had long since chipped away at the fabric of America, dominating American pop culture media with squeals of “multiculturalism,” “tolerance,” “open-borders” and “one-world-guv’mint-everybody-loves-everybody peeeeeace …” A few hours later reality hit. Hard. We were in shock. We were angry. We were united in our anger and everywhere you looked Americans were waving American flags. For a few months, there were no hyphenated Americans. No African-Americans, no Irish-Americans, no Mexican-Americans. We were all simply Americans. But little by little the anger slipped away and the flags disappeared, until here we are five years later, and the liberals have resumed chipping away at the fabric of America, dominating American pop culture media with squeals of “multiculturalism,” “tolerance,” “open-borders” and “one-world-guv’mint-everybody-loves-everybody peeeeeace …” The French – long before they became the lackeys they are today – had a phrase for such things: Plus ca change plus c'est la meme chose (the more things change, the more they stay the same). (Read the rest here)

Your Feedback and Comments
The Mailbag for This Week May 29, 06

Do you know a good liberty centered blogs?
Tell us about it!

Liberty Bloggers We Know