the sun, the rain and many seeds...

It happened without knowledge, without wanting to do it, it happened instinctively,Wal-Mart, K-mart, Home depot and farmers markets have trapped me.

Every time I go into one of these types of stores with garden departments, or anywhere that sells plants or seeds I cannot escape without a purchase, even if that purchase is just a pack of radish seeds or a plant marked 50% off.

They call it gardening, like the runners high, or swimmers high, gardening produces a serotonin like chemical in ones brain that is better than any anti-depressant on the market. You will know when you are welcomed and wanted on this rock called the "Garden Island." A simple aura overtakes you and all you wish to do is plant something everyday.

I plant at my own place, I plant in many public places hoping in a few years to see my (plants) children mature. Kauai has become known as the "Garden Island." I always thought it was a cute marketing jingle, but never took it serious until the "garden island fever" overtook me.

Pets are great therapy for companionship and finally I have discovered the other perfect companions, plants and Gardens.

Thank you Garden Island (Kauai) for showing me the sun the rain and many seeds.

what does one really need?

Besides food and a few clothing items what does one really need?

We have navigational devices called " Global Positioning systems" (GPS), people feel lost without them, what ever happened to human contact and asking the gas station attendant or a stranger on the street how to get somewhere?

Getting back down to basics makes one feel alive, try hand washing a few clothes, or actually making popcorn in a pot with a little oil, or buying a hand pushed lawnmower or even making love the old fashioned way without the use of Viagra, actually try enjoying the person your with.

Back to basics gives one satisfaction, modern push button gadgets make us lazy and fat which only leads to health problems. Next time you play nine holes of golf try walking instead of using that electric cart, try walking or biking to the grocery store with an empty backpack a few times a week for groceries in lieu of driving. Try butchering your own chicken!

Without all the advertisements on TV, newspaper, magazines, radio and the Internet we would find we really don't need much to make us happy.

I couldn't walk for a year...

I was once asked if it hurt, when I was circumcised, I replied , you bet I couldn't walk for a year."

Friends and relatives come to watch a Mohel ,a Jewish Rabbi who specializes in cutting the foreskin of penis's, perform circumcism(bris) in the biblical way on the eighth day of the boys life.

The only sedative used is a little Mogen David wine, I have been to a few bris's and cringe every time the rabbi takes the scalpo to the little boys penis.

I asked the Rabbi what he does with all the foreskins, and he said he saves them and makes them into wallets, however he said there was a problem because when people rub the wallets they all turn into suitcases.

This joke parallels the real life debate and problems concerning circumcism. They say it was originally performed to help teenage boys refrain from masturbation, since removal of the foreskin makes that area less sensitive.

The below is from the enclosed website; http://www.jewsagainstcircumcision.org/

"Even the great Rabbi Maimonides recognized the problems with circumcision:

The bodily injury caused to that organ is exactly that which is desired...there is no doubt that circumcision weakens the power of sexual excitement, and sometimes lessens the natural enjoyment; the organ necessarily becomes weak when it loses blood and is deprived of its covering from the beginning.”
Rabbi Moses Maimonides, The Guide of the Perplexed, The University of Chicago Press, 1963
Literalism

Some people believe that God commanded that Abraham circumcise himself, his family and their heirs forever, yet there are many doubts to this belief.
What kind of covenant is it that is marked on the body of a baby, who has no choice in the matter and no understanding?

Would the Almighty focus on the mutilation of a baby’s penis? Modern Jewish scholars have found that circumcision is not even mentioned in the earliest, “J”, version of Genesis nor the next three rewrites by other authors. Most importantly, the story of Abraham is there in its entirety, except the part about the Covenant being “sealed” with circumcision. So do not be afraid of divine punishment. God did not mandate circumcision.

IdentityBeing circumcised is not a condition of being Jewish. Girls do not need to be circumcised to receive the gifts of covenant, i.e., being bat-mitzvahed. A boy is Jewish if his mother is Jewish from the moment he is born. In fact: A boy may be excused from circumcision permanently if his health would be endangered by it (for example, hemophilia).
Jewish boys in countries where routine circumcision is not common, such as Holland, may be left intact and yet remain Jews in good standing.

In Sweden, 60% of Jewish boys are intact.
Many Soviet Jews, left intact for fear of communist persecution, have chosen to remain so, even though communism no longer exists.

Contrary to popular opinions, an intact boy may have a Bar Mitzvah. As one rabbi simply put it, “We don’t check.”

Since many American Christians practice circumcision, it does not distinguish the Jewish boys from the non-Jewish. Thus, the claim that circumcision is essential for the survival of the Jewish people is, therefore, invalid.

Healing the World A central purpose of Judaism is tikkun olam, repairing the world. Much of the pain in the world is a result of repeating old harmful patterns of behaviors. Forgoing circumcision contributes to our healing. As we heal from this pain, we will be better able to heal others, and reach our ethical and spiritual potential.

Tradition, Many people invoke the power of tradition. The following acts are traditionally punishable by death according to the Torah:
Cheating on your husband (Lev 20:10)
Fornicating — if you’re female (Deut 22:21)
Homosexuality (Lev 20:13)
Blasphemy (Lev 24:16)
Insulting one’s parents (Exod 21:17)
Disobeying one’s parents (Deut 21:18-21) Obviously, we no longer apply capital punishment for committing the above mentioned acts because we are no longer a primitive society and we have come to believe in human rights.Other practices sanctioned by the Torah that we no longer permit because we are educated and enlightened are:
Slavery (Exod 21:1-11, Deut 15:12-18)
Animal and human sacrifices (Lev 4:3, 4:23)
Divorce for men only (Deut 24:1)
Female subservience to men including obedience to every order and no right to refuse sex, (Gen 3:16) Many of our traditions have been abandoned, changed or modified over the centuries. Even the tradition of circumcision has been changed over the years.

There is some evidence that radical circumcision — periah — was not instituted until the second century CE, to prevent Hellenized Jews from concealing their status. Evidence shows prior to that, Milah was much milder — only the removal of a sliver of foreskin from the tip of the penis.
Metzitzah — sucking the baby’s penis to remove blood from the wound by mouth — was a long-standing and essential part of the ceremony until the end of the 19th century, when it became clear that mohels with TB or STDs were transmitting the diseases to the babies and many babies died as a result. (the orthodox Jews still practice oral suction (Metzitzah) to this day.)There have been recent deaths attributed to this procedure) Read the enclosed N.Y Times artice; http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/26/nyregion/26circumcise.html

Take Responsibility

Do not be afraid to be the first to change and lead your parents, family and community into modern times! Your primary responsibility is to take care of your son, not to satisfy other people’s need for tradition. Your community will eventually see the light.

Do not be afraid to think for yourself. Circumcision is barbaric and you are a better parent for not mutilating your son’s penis.

Don’t be afraid to question tradition rather than blindly accepting it. Circumcision continues in our faith because of indoctrination, fear of change, and so-called tradition. Remember that our religious leaders are the products of this same indoctrination.

If you were told to circumcise your daughter’s vulva, would you blindly obey? Or would you question the order and choose to protect your daughter? Shouldn't’ we treat our boys with the same consideration and respect?"

There is the debate of whether or not circumcision helps prevent cancer of the penis? My lady friend puts it this way,"I wouldn't choose to have mastectomy as a precautionary measure for not developing breast cancer, as I would not circumcise my son and cut off part of his manhood just as a precautionary measure that he may develop cancer in the future."

All I can say if I had the choice, I would ask the Rabbi for my wallet back and pack my suitcase for fantasy land. :D)

World championship?

Superbowl sunday, a day that is more popular than Christmas in America, a day when spousal abuse runs high, a day when beer and pizza are the diet, a day when a television commercial costs. 2.5 million for a 30 second spot.

Americans are arrogant, especially the sports enthusiasts, announcers, coaches and athletes, they say the superbowl is for the world championship?

I was not aware of any teams from Russia, China or Africa having teams in the National football league?

The superbowl has become so commercial in the United states, that people who do not follow football or even understand the game will watch it or go to a superbowl party and ruin it for the true fans by asking dumb questions such as, "how many homeruns do they need to win?"


Our national government has decided to waste more of out taxpayer dollars in purchasing a 30 second time slot to run an ad about filling out your 2010 census form.

We are going though major recession and our national inteeligence decides to compete with stimulants like Coca cola and Viagra.

Being a football fan, I will try and make believe I am really watching a world championship and try to chill out on this special American holiday that has become more popular than Jesus himself.

(note, you can edit it to read "that has become more popular than christmas." however i like Jesus better

Touch of grey...

The world has changed since the last time I donned a beard. Jimmy Carter was president, disco was the dance and in California clothing optional beaches were the norm.

Now B.O. is president, the dance is survival and clothing optional only exists since the economy is so bad, people cannot afford clothes or anything else...

Present day, the groceries stores and fast food restaurants are all starting to give me a thing called a senior discount without even asking for it, all this because i decided to not shave and my beard is now white.

For anyone capable of growing a white beard, it is a sure way to budget in these rough economic times. Three cheers for a touch of grey.

deja-vu experience...

The other night I was channel surfing with my oceanic time warner digital cable remote control and came upon an interesting program.

It was a deja-vu experience. The television reality stars looked awfully familiar, even the cutaway shots of the audience members looked vaguely familiar.

I sat, watched and realized that our county council members are not only famous for being politicians, but have their own reality show on the public access network.

If you have never seen the show I recommend it to anyone needing a good laugh, it's somewhat of a cross between the Biggest Looser, Survivor and I'm a celebrity, get me out of here.

A good piece of meat...

During a recent visit to Burger King, I spotted a well-known vegan eating a Burger King triple Whopper with cheese. Caught in the act, he looked at me and said, “I don’t know how you can eat that food” (pointing to my Whopper Jr.) while rubbing his stomach with a gesture of indigestion.

Vegans enjoy meat, they just don’t want to get caught, it’s a political correctness of the rules of being vegan.

A vegan eating meat is the equivalent of a politician having an extramarital affair.It happens frequently, and no matter how you look at it, everyone likes a good piece of meat.

Vegans and politicians are no exceptions.