AND IT GOES

I got home from the dentist about an hour ago. I had a tooth pulled. It was a six year old molar; so I must have had it for 75 years. It was encased in a beautiful silver crown. I have struggled to save this tooth for at least four years. I finally caved to the strong recommendations of two dental hygienist and Jamie, who fears I might have problems, due to the chronic low grade infection. There are indications that gum disease and tooth infections are involved in heart disease. Also, we have a neighbor who had a knee replaced six years ago, he got a small infection in his finger, seeming of no consequence, yet the infection somehow lodged in his knee and caused huge problems. I had a knee replacement about fifteen years ago.

The procedure went well. I have a mouth full of gauze, but I am otherwise fine. The anesthetic should be wearing off anytime, we will see how that goes.

I just came back from doing a few chores. It is almost Noon and I don't have any pain. The tooth was extracted about 2 1/2 hours ago; I think I am home free.

You don't want to hear anymore about my tooth. I don't either.

Although, there appears to be some truth leaking through the main stream media's usual deceptions, the crazy part seems to be getting crazier and crazier. Over twenty years ago, we had a good friend who worked in the government in the area of unemployment. He would talk about the number of different ways unemployment could be determined. He had four different numbers he could furnish according to, what/or who, he was addressing. The highest estimate was rarely used.

I bring this up, because it is one of the main indicators of the health of any economy. I try to find a valid number for today's economy and I can't get anywhere. Try to find a number you can be confident in. Believe me, it is difficult. The simple measure of how many people, who are without a job and would like a job, doesn't seem available. It is easy to find the number who are actively engaged with a government employment office. That tells very little. It doesn't say how many have given up in despair. It doesn't say how many have settled for a minimum wage job, although, they are trying to take care of a family. It doesn't count the young adults, that still manage to survive with family help, or simply haven't left home.

People, who do try to study it, come up with unemployment figures far higher than any released by the government. Most figures range from fifteen to twenty-five per cent. These are depression era figures. As things get worse, someone comes out with a rosier forecast. The situation for fifty percent of our families is abysmal. Financial misery is epidemic. Pay day loans, pawn shops, etc. are doing a huge business picking the last crumbs of the poor and lower middle class. The misery, of money anxiety, has spread to the solid middle class and beyond.

It puzzles me that neither major party addresses the issue. The economy crumbles, and the well being of many are threatened, and most politicians fiddle as Rome burns. Is it for real? Is this just a show to keep the minds of the people from seeing the collapse of an empire? An unacknowledged empire, built on the myth of national security, and the spread of democracy; point me out a country that is better off because of our kindly ministrations. Let us see, in just recent years, there has been Syria, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and several proxy conflicts, like in Yemen. Are any of them better off?

This is not new. We started with our idea of manifest destiny and stole a good portion of the continent from Mexico. Then we conjured up a war with Spain and stole from them. And don't forget the Monroe doctrine that seemed to give us free rein in South America for the last hundred years. There have been very few successful politicians in South America that were not our puppets. Of course, it all started, because we were able to make the immoral and illegal, decision to steal the land away from its original occupants.

I don't like to use the word 'we', because I didn't do it. I know you didn't do it. What happened to the Indians, the Mexicans, the South Americans etc. was a while ago. We were around when the horror in the Middle East happened. How did we let our government do it? And is it even our government? How is it that most of the people around us, don't even know we have an empire?

What do they think, when they hear of the U.S. sending warships to the South China Sea, in response to China building some islands? Do they ask; how is it our business? Can you imagine the uproar if China sent warships to the Gulf of Mexico?

The people of the U.S. have been kept very innocent and very ignorant. It was an amazing feat. We have to see when patriotism is a sign of deception. There is a lot of flag waving going on right now, prior to the anniversary of 9-11. Does that have anything to do with some disclosures that will soon be coming out concerning the real perpetrators of the deed? We will see.

Well we know the Old World will fade away, and we can only marvel at how apt, those in power were, to maintain the illusion of decency. Most of us went along with it because we couldn't believe otherwise. It is hard to believe, the very country we love, could have been that corrupt. We were very skillfully programed.

Let us open our eyes and have no regrets and finger pointing. It is okay. We can go on from here and create the world we want. It is hard to see how one could be so blind or callous to create the negativity of the Old World. That is what happens when Oneness is not accepted and it is 'everybody for themselves'. As some body commented to me once, “The shit rises to the top”. That is what happens in an ego created world. We need to forgive them all, anyway, it was a form of madness.

Have faith that the craziness is about over. Look at the TV only for uplifting programing. Find the love and comfort with family and friends. Don't talk about politics!

It is Friday! Celebrate! Sing and Dance!

Love and Peace, Gregg