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Political Corruption

Phiya (mailto:phiya@phiya.com) — 2006-10-04T12:43:07

If you think about it, political corruption has spiralled completely out of control such that the corrupt ones are the ones calling the shots and determining who is corrupt and who is not.

What seems obvious to me is that intention of the any modern day Presidential Administration is to raise as much money as possible while in office to secure long-term personal financial gain by supporting enterprises the following areas:

1. Military contracting
2. Oil, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
3. Construction
4. International Banking
5. Illegal drugs

Using companies that are outside of the jurisdiction of the US Federal and State Governments.

How is this achieved?

1. Since there is no real enemy of the US since the end of the Cold War, is to create a nameless, faceless, enemy that persists. This fuels public support that funds the War machine.
2. To cut all "unnecessary" Government spending and shift all spending toward favored companies.
3. To deregulate corporations as much as possible in the name of a "free market."
4. To outsource government operations to private companies as much as possible, including the US military, and to ensure that those contracts are in place well beyond the tenure of the office the President.
5. Once voted out of office and retired then to join the boards of those companies reaping the rewards previously established while in office. Then continue to influence government in their favor.

The US government is no longer run by officials nor by the people but multi-national Corporations that are outside the jurisdiction of the government and have budgets with sizes that are often larger than most countries and have many former statesmen on their boards, or rather, many of their Board served some public office at one time or another, especially in Intelligence and Military contracting capacities. The influence probably runs deep into the local governments of key states needed to win importnat elections.

The power is so pervasive that there is no way to remove the influence of these entities by any effort originating within the bounds of the US, its Government nor by its people. Nor can this be affected by any other single nation or power. Such a powerhold can only be challenged by a global initiative and collective effort that unites all people around the world.

These are just some thoughts.

The spoils of war goes not to the victor but to the financier who has funded both sides and has provoked and manipulated them into fighting in the first place.

Religion as tyranny

Phiya (mailto:phiya@phiya.com) — 2006-10-04T11:53:28

Religious doctrines make people feel guilty and then offer then repentance through the religion. How ridiculous is that?

Religion and God

Phiya (mailto:phiya@phiya.com) — 2006-10-04T11:50:26

If you think about it God "gave" us free will. Then to ascribe any action we do to God is perhaps the grossest insult we can lay upon him. People who say that they are "carrying out the will" of God are fools and idiots.

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Phiya (mailto:phiya@phiya.com) — 2006-03-15T11:30:07

Community Email News And Updates

Phiya (mailto:phiya@phiya.com) — 2006-03-15T06:50:23

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A Favorite Word

Phiya (mailto:phiya@phiya.com) — 2006-03-15T06:47:05

A favorite and interesting word of mine is the expressive "indeed" which in other languages is even more impressive. For example, in spanish, it is "claro"; in russian it is "yasno"; in japanese it is "naruhodo" and in chinese it is "zhi dao" or "I understand the way."

Welcome

Phiya (mailto:phiya@phiya.com) — 2006-03-14T18:25:33

"... a peace for all time..."

"What kind of peace do I mean? What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children-not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women, not merely peace in our time but peace for all time..."

- U.S. President John F. Kennedy, June 10, 1963

"Religion is not about believing things. It is about behaving differently."

- Karen Armstrong, TED Conference, February 2008

Forwarded Message for Muslims Around The World

Phiya (mailto:phiya@phiya.com) — 2006-03-03T10:02:43

The following message of request for peace was sent to me today. After reading it I am compelled to post it and pass it along. - Phiya

PRESS RELEASE:

AN OPEN LETTER TO MUSLIMS ONLY
(Please read and forward this message to as many Muslims as you can)

Dear Muslim Brothers and Sisters,

God forbid if any one of our near one and dear one is killed then the
killer is evil, a beast and what not and should get penalty but if one
among us kills anybody then he is not evil and we start lying, denying or even justifying the killing.... double standards?

Being Muslims, many of our brothers and sisters are not working for peace. They are misguided, mistaken and spreading the virus of hatred and revenge through telling deliberate lies, disinformation and false accusations, which is resulting in death and miseries for number of innocent people living around the world at the hands of merciless KILLER MUSLIMS and also bringing bad name to Mohammed (PBUH) who never killed anyone in his life time.

Instead of teaching about Good & Evil, certain Radical Muslim Clerics are only "Trading in Religion". They teach us about accusing, abusing and killing the non-Muslims. They try to hypnotize us to Hate and Kill the non-Muslims and brethren of other sects or be killed and without using any common sense, we readily believe in whatever is being said by these Hate Mongers. Actually, they are "Agents of Satan" who is paying them heavily and in return they are cutting at the very roots of the Ummah. Instead of "Mourning" most of the Muslims are rejoicing on the brutal killings of the non-combatant innocent civilians and "The Murderers" have always been "Our Great Heroes".

Before it is too late and the Curse Of God falls upon us, we should use common sense, find out the TRUTH and must change ourselves to save Muslims from becoming the most "Hated, Isolated, Discredited and Suspicious" people in the world. We must start working for promoting "Sectarian Harmony and Religious Tolerance" in the society and should prove to the WORLD through our deeds that Islam is not a religion of Zero Tolerance and Mohammed (PBUH) teaches "Love & Peace" and not Gangsterism, Terrorism, Barbarism, Extremism, Sectarianism, Cruelty, Inhumanity and "Hatred & Killing" of the innocent civilians.

Islam is a religion of peace. Islam teaches respect and love for all even the animals. But many narrow-minded Muslims have so far failed to learn anything good from the teachings of Mohammed (PBUH) who preaches love for the peoples of all religions. We are far away from the basic principle of Islam i.e. "Enjoining the people to do Good and forbidding them from Doing Evil" and thus, possess no quality of the civilized society. Unfortunately, many of us show Zero Tolerance towards others and have wrongly learnt few thing to be called as good Muslims and those are "hate" the non-Muslims and "Accusing, Abusing and Cursing" the non-Muslims. ...act of madness?

The killing of others in the name of religion is a Sin. Can a FATHER ever teach his Children to be the permanent Enemies of each other?

The time has come for us to stop readily believing in whatever is being said, read and written by the LIARS / Hate Mongers. Unfortunately, some misguided-Muslims believe that the Holy Koran and Holy Prophet (PBUH) both have instructed Muslims that the opponents be KILLED and that they are simply following the orders. We should use our own common sense and only believe which is logical, convincing and in the best interest of the humanity.

Why do we hate others so much, may be they are better humans then what we are. My feeling is that the Muslims should unite to discredit and deactivate the fringe mullahs (Preachers of Hate) who promise a quick trip to paradise to people who have little and sacrifice themselves with bombs strapped to their bodies. If the mullahs (THE LIARS) thought that it really was a way to paradise they would be strapping bombs to themselves! Their followers are kept too ignorant to see this for themselves and enlightened Muslims should educate them. We must promote understanding and peace. We are all watched by the same God and need to help one another, not Hate and Hurt.

Our contention is that the WORLD should resolve the conflicts facing the Muslim World to stop the terrorism. Unfortunately, all the disputes facing the Muslim World are our self created. The root causes of all the disputes are based on the Muslim Philosophy of Hate against the non-Muslims. The Muslim literature, teachings and preaching are spreading and injecting this hatred in hearts and minds of the Muslims. Our intolerant behavior is further proved by the root causes of all the pending conflicts that we (Muslims) cannot live side by side in peace with the non-Muslims. All the disputes facing Muslim World can be resolved easily, only if we (the Muslims) are able to condemn the "Philosophy of Hate" created in us by our past and present elders who have divided the peoples of the world in the name of "Religion, Cast and Creed".

Fellow Muslims! if God is one and he loves mankind, we should value each others life and strive to protect each other than thinking that if we kill we shall have reward. God looks at human beings not as belonging to different religions, that is why the rain falls to all, the sun shines to all and we all breathe the air freely. We are all created or given life in the very same way- whether Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jew etc. Let us learn to love each other sincerely. The change of heart and mind is possible to achieve if we keep up our relentless efforts for a violence free and peaceful world. We need to preach love, kindness and humanity with extremist devotion and mission. The mullahs (THE LIARS) and the preachers of HATE must be excommunicated at every level and we should stop giving them donations as it is our money which is being used by them to spread HATRED for killing of the innocents.

We must also stop dividing the World into Muslim and non-Muslim blocks. Our political leaders and religious teachers must offer positive ideas. Without the ability to imagine a better world, we cannot build anything together. Tolerance of the beliefs of other peoples in the world, warmth and friendship across racial cultures MUST be the objective of all peace loving people worldwide. What is being offered today through religion is "Death, Destruction and Sufferings".

MY PRAYER FOR PEACE:

Merciful God, please give to peoples of the world, the required wisdom and determination, to Forgive and Forget the bitterness of the past and learn to live in peace like brothers and sisters, by condemning the divisions and hatreds created in us by our past and present elders.
(Amen)

Please Read And Circulate this Message For Peace. Thank you.

S.A.Rehman
Peace Activist
PAKISTAN

...........................................................................................

An Open Letter To
Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al-Zawahiri.
(Wherever You Are)

Aslam-o-Alaikum!

Do you know what degree of shame, abomination, misery and wretchedness is being heaped on the innocent and peace-following Muslims all over the world because of this so-called and self styled Jihad of yours?

Do you know how many innocent, unsullied people are being daily butchered as result of this professed Jihad of yours? How many children are being orphaned and women being widowed precisely for the same reason.

And do you know, killing one faultless human being is like killing the entire humanity. You must definitely be knowing that you will surely be held accountable for this all bloodshed. Will you, then, be able to face your God? I challenge, no!

Then, why have you become an agent of some hidden hand. Why are you taking the responsibility of the murder of entire humanity to yourself on his behest. Why are you dragging the Muslims down? Why are you demeaning Islam by presenting it as a terrorist religion? Acting like this, which religion are you rendering a great service to? Are you raising the standard of Islam high or you (if you reflect on it) are causing the heads of the followers of the path of the righteous bow down with shame in-front of the entire humanity.

Today most of the Muslims believe that you are not a true Muslim but planted by the enemies to destroy the image of Islam.

For God's sake, take recourse to sense, and announce an Unconditional Ceasefire at-once so the inhabitants of world may be introduced to that divine aspect of the Muslims at whose hands no soul suffer, whose words and actions bear no tinge of dichotomy, whose speech, when uttered, conveys to others the message of love and protection, whose thoughts, when thought, are devoted to the well being of others. Herein lies the true success, and herein lies the victory of the true religion of Allah.

S.A.Rehman
(Peace Activist)
PAKISTAN

Copies being sent to Muslim Brothers and Sisters for information and with a request to pray for an earliest end to the war.

Finale Arrangements for Cornellia

Phiya (mailto:phiya@phiya.com) — 2006-03-03T09:57:44

(from Carl Ferre)

Hi Everyone,

Due to the large number of requests for directions to the memorial service
for Cornellia, the service has been moved to Unity (Church) of Oroville, 1321 Robinson Street, Oroville, CA 95965 (just two blocks from the former Vega building). The service will be at noon on Saturday, March 4 as announced previously and the pot luck will be held after the service at David and Cynthia's house a few blocks away. This is the only public service being planned at this time. Contact David or Cynthia at 530-532-1918, or Carl or Julia Ferre at 530-566-9765 for directions, or with any questions.
There was a Shinto ceremony held last Sunday (February 26) for Cornellia and a memorial plaque from that ceremony along with some prayers are being sent so as to arrive in time for the service on Saturday. There will be a third remembrance held at the French Meadows camp this summer.
Donation checks, in lieu of flowers, should be made payable to "Cornellia Aihara Memorial Fund" and may be sent to G.O.M.F., PO Box 3998, Chico, CA 95927-3998. Those of us close to the Aihara family will make certain that all monies received are used in an appropriate manner. Marie Aihara can be reached directly at marieaihara09@yahoo.com. Thank you all again for the love and support.

Best Wishes,
Carl Ferre

Dick Cheney's Worst Day

2006-02-16T11:02:59

I find it incredible that Dick Cheney's self-professed worse day in his life is the "accidental" shooting of his friend. The worse day for a man (or woman) in his position is when he "intentionally" orders military stikes and invasions on a "shoot first, question later" policy effectively killing hundreds of innocent people. Such a day should be the absolute worst day in anyone's life when they have to go to such extremes, but not Dick Cheney. His priorities are really screwed up.