"Test of Three" Measurement

This is a follow on to the post from yesterday; America - Truth or Consequences This was provided by Rick B., one of our readers. Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you hear or are about to repeat a rumor. In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom. One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance, who ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students...?" "Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Test of Three." "Test of Three?" "That's correct," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my student let's take a moment to test what you're going to say. The first test is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?" "No," the man replied, "actually I just heard about it." "All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second test, the test of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?" "No, on the contrary..." "So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him even though you're not certain it's true?" The man shrugged, a little embarrassed. Socrates continued, "You may still pass though because there is a third test - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?" "No, not really..." "Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all?" The man was defeated and ashamed and said no more.

America - Truth or Consequences?

Most of us listen to some news and some talk radio. It's all around us, how can we not tune in? We hear so much about what our elected officials are saying about other people. Quite frankly, we hear very little (of substance) about how they're going to make our lives better and safer. I'm fed up, as I'm sure most of you are with those who speak ill of others so that the whole world will hear them. My father taught me years ago to "not say bad things about others" for 2 reasons; 1.) It's disrespectful and, 2.) It demeans who you are. I may be an idealist but, so what! I grew up in an America where children had respect for their elders, there was honor among men at all levels of society, and you just simply didn't lie. Our society lived by God's laws , not man's laws. When I hear Congress men and women speaking half truths on an issue, I wonder why they would do that, and then it hits me - personal gain, that's why! I really wonder where we're headed? If all of our elected officials would just speak the truth (win or lose), America would truly be free!

Bush - The First American Dictator?

Yes, indeed! You heard me. The following article is a scary read - especially if it were true! This article was written by the infamous Novosti news service in Russia. Notorious for dis-information campaigns against the United States. What's scarier is that a Seattle based progressive political group (Progressive Majority) bought into it and is spreading it around. They're lead by a former big union guy, and backed by a lot of retired Judges and Attorneys who are card carrying members of the ACLU. I should rest my case at this point. However, you should research it yourself and post your findings here. Once they're found out to be spreading Russian propaganda, I don’t think they'll have much credibility left, especially in the 8 states that they are currently operating in. ___________________________________________________________________ WASHINGTON , July 20 - A former Reagan official has issued a public warning that the Bush administration is preparing to orchestrate a staged terrorist attack in the United States , transform the country into a dictatorship and launch a war with Iran within a year. Paul Craig Roberts, a former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, blasted Thursday a new Executive Order, released July 17, allowing the White House to seize the assets of anyone who interferes with its Iraq policies and giving the government expanded police powers to exercise control in the country. Roberts, who spoke on the Thom Hartmann radio program, said: "When Bush exercises this authority [under the new Executive Order], there's no check to it. So it really is a form of total, absolute, one-man rule." "The American people don't really understand the danger that they face," Roberts said, adding that the so-called neoconservatives intended to use a renewal of the fight against terrorism to rally the American people around the fading Republican Party. Old-line Republicans like Roberts have become increasingly disenchanted with the neoconservative politics of the Bush administration, which they see as a betrayal of fundamental conservative values. According to a July 9-11 survey by Ipsos, an international public opinion research company, President Bush and the Republicans can claim a mere 31 percent approval rating for their handling of the Iraq war and 38 percent for their foreign policy in general, including terrorism. "The administration figures themselves and prominent Republican propagandists ... are preparing us for another 9/11 event or series of events," he said. "You have to count on the fact that if al Qaeda is not going to do it, it is going to be orchestrated. "Roberts suggested that in the absence of a massive popular outcry, only the federal bureaucracy and perhaps the military could put constraints on Bush's current drive for a fully-fledged dictatorship. "They may have had enough. They may not go along with it," he said. The radio interview was a follow-up to Robert's latest column, in which he warned that "unless Congress immediately impeaches Bush and Cheney, a year from now the U.S. could be a dictatorial police state at war with Iran . "Roberts, who has been dubbed the "Father of Reaganomics" and has recently gained popularity for his strong opposition to the Bush administration and the Iraq War, regularly contributes articles to Creators Syndicate, an independent distributor of comic strips and syndicated columns for daily newspapers.

U.S. Senator vs. Talk Radio (re: the immigration bill)

Why are Republican Senators so eager to grant amnesty! What are they smoking? Here's the latest on the immigration issue. Senator Lott is complaining that Americas Talk Radio hosts are creating a big problem by causing voters to call the congressional switchboard more than ever over this immigration bill which he and Pres. Bush and Ted Kennedy are trying to shove down our throats even though it failed the cloture vote on June 7. It failed because many Americans called or wrote in saying "don't do it". Now they're scrambling around making threatening deals with Jr. Senators to vote in favor of the bill. It's really ugly! Republican and Democrats alike. So, I guess we need to stop being such a "big problem" for our elected officials. Yeh - sure!!! I think the vote is today - it may have already happened. I sent the following letter to Lott's office. Senator Lott: We met at Tom Stewarts ranch in 1999. I was campaigning for King County Assessor. It is my opinion that your recent personal attacks regarding talk radio proves to me that you're out of touch with the American public. I have supported your positions for the most part over the years but you're so far off base on this one that it makes me wonder what you spend your time doing? We get more information out of talk radio than we do your office or any other government office for that matter. You should be pleased that talk radio is out there primarily in support of mostly conservative issues. If talk show hosts can light up the Congressional switchboard, doesn't that tell you that Americans are listening to the issues? If that's a problem for you - you should either change the way you do business or find another job. I am publishing your comments and this letter on www.talkamerican.blogspot.com

A Mastectomy law - are you kidding?

A very special friend of mine recently emailed me this. I did not know that women have to deal with this issue. I support this bill which is unusual for me due to my smaller unintrusive government stance. "Subject: Mastectomy Bill in Congress; Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. There's a bill before Congress called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require insurance companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the "drive-through mastectomy" where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, and still groggy from anesthesia, and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached. Lifetime Television has put this bill on their web page with a petition drive to show your support. In the past year, over half the U.S. House of Representatives has signed on. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery. PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the web link below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number. http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php This takes about 2 seconds. PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and family, and on behalf of all women, THANKS." Before you go - PLEASE write your comments about this issue by clicking below. These can be the same comments you wrote in the comment box when signing the petition. This is as important as signing the petition on Lifetime's link. The U.S. Congress will look at the numbers of people who have signed the petition, but more importantly, they are interested in what you have to say. They will read comments randomly and from a variety of sources. Let's inundate them! Watch for my next post coming in a couple of days about the Insurance Industry - excuse me; the Insurance Mob!