A week later, I fly to the Virgin Islands, armed with hours of scientific research on agricultural implements and their attachments. John Deere and I are going to have a total love fest.

The St. Croix AgFest is a huge deal in the U.S. Virgin Islands. As soon as I land, I am whisked away to the opening reception at the Governor's Mansion.

Talking about governors, here he is: the seventh Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Governor John deJongh. A muy sympatico laid back governor if you ask me.

After a few glasses of punch, I feel ready for the big day ahead of me.

The next morning, approaching the Fair venue, I realize that studying the engagement of the locking differential through the use of split breaks in a four-wheel drive tractor may have been a tad irrelevant, if not completely nerdy. The sun is shining on columns of colorfully clad families walking cheerfully towards the Fair grounds and this is starting to feel a lot like... a party! This will be work for the camera rather than the pen, the senses rather then the brain (pretty good news considering the gray cells seem to have migrated to another country.)

Inspired by the last Top Chef season, I decide to emulate Anthony Bourdain. Whatever sounds the weirdest, that's what I'm eating. I end up with Goat Water (a creamy stew made of goat.) In all honesty, I think the goat water is an acquired taste, and not to sound unworldly but a Hamburger from McDonald's begins to look real good after a few bites of the goat (plus you receive a complimentary toy with your Happy Meal and you get nada with the goat.)

All the women serving food wear traditional garb. I could use a headdress such as this one. I think it would make me look much taller.

Rastafarians everywhere! Some make this adorable little heart sign when you photograph them. I can only assume this is the Rasta way of saying "peace out mon." Perhaps I'm completely mistaken and the sign means "you look like a weird little dudette" but hopefully not.

Some Rastas look very friendly,

some very wise.

Some appear just a tad less approachable (you'll notice no trace of little "I heart you" sign going on there, just Rasta office weaponry.)

Some non-Rastafarians look downright as if they had emerged from the Dallas hood, bling and all... You just catch yourself scrutinizing the parking lot for the pimped car on hydraulics.

No worries. We are very well protected by the island popo who incidentally has a lot of problem not cracking up while posing for the photograph.

The St. Croix agents are a force to be reckoned with. They are fierce. They look mean. Do not mess with them.

At the Agfest, you can get a temporary tattoo which is cool for a woman but not so cool for a mon, I told Matthew, another travel writer, who seemed quite tempted by the experience.

Having heard about Matthew's longing for a girly girl tattoo, a Moko Jumbie attempts to scare the evil spirits away from him.

The whole fair grounds is strewn with booths selling clothes, jewelry, artifacts, fabrics, music, and local products from the three islands.

Fresh local organic produce. As a rule, I never eat anything green unless it's wasabi but sampling the products of the Virgin Island Sustainable Farm Institute, I was reminded of how fruits and vegetables are supposed to taste. Yummy for my tummy! I'd eat veggies if I lived on St. Croix. Until then, I'll stick with sushi and Cocoa Puffs.

Music instruments and pots.

A photo booth!

At the end of the day, you could observe exhausted children sleeping in their mom's arms... I, too, could have used a little nap by that time but then I would have missed...

Mister Suave. Perched on his bike, the dude was flirting with every women passing by. Sampling tomatoes? It's all good but, eh, you have to keep your priorities straight, you know.

As I leave the Fair Grounds, the guy manning the entrance asks to have his portrait taken. He seems really cool. I have never seen such blown pupils ever in my life!

If you want a display of shiny modern agricultural machines, the Agricultural and Food Fair may not be for you. The AgFest is a cultural jewel and offers a perfect insight in the colorful Crucian lifestyle to tourists.

I would only perhaps recommend a Pious Nun over the goat water.

]]> http://thankyoubetheajenner.wordpress.com/?p=126 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:07:50 +0000 Bethea Jenner http://thankyoubetheajenner.wordpress.com/?p=126 "Dear Bethea, I am very pleased to say that I ve finally rented my condo out todday, which I think that my Jade Dragon Pendant brings me the good luck. Thanks a lot"

-Ling

Todd Friel talks about this on the July 14 hour 1 show.  Listen to it here, it's about 10 or 15 minutes into the show.

This reminds me of John the Baptist exposing the sins of the Pharisees and calling them to repent.  Some might say that this heckler was out of line interrupting the service like that.  I say that Gene Robinson shouldn't be up there preaching sermons at all.  So I say, praise God that this man had the guts to stand up in the middle of this hypocrites' speech and call him to repent in public!  I agree with Todd Friel when he says that we need more of these people in the church today.  Christians that STAND for righteousness, not for tolerance or acceptance.  Christians that stand for the truth, not for what's relevant. 

It's absolutely a tragedy when someone of his stature calls himself a Christian,  and preaches a counterfit gospel attempting to justify his sexually immoral lifestyle.  I'm sorry, but any CHRISTIAN that would divorce his wife and leave his family to move in with his gay lover is not a Christian.  That's what heathen do... not Christians!

This man is advocating a belief that it's ok to live anyway you want to live and still be a Christ follower.  He's actually wondering WHY the church is splitting over this controversy, saying that he is deeply saddened by the outrage against his hypocrisy.  I'm deeply saddened by the apparent blindness of this man's heart.  He is so blinded by his sin that he can't even see it for what it is -- SIN. 

The true church...  Christ's bride needs to be on guard against the postmodernism of our current culture.  The world believes that "whatever you believe is right for you," and sadly this mentality is creeping into the church.  I don't care what anyone says, Christ did not teach or preach tolerance.  Whoever says that better take another look at their Bibles.  He preached repentance from sin and faith in God.  He called the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes to repent for their apparent hypocrisy.  He called them brood of vipers!  (Matthew 3:7)  Jesus talked more about hell than He ever did about heaven in His earthly ministry. 

All I'm saying is that if you call yourself a Christian, than follow Christ's example and live like a Christian, being obedient to His commandments.  Don't go out there committing sinful acts and then trying to justify those acts to the world under the banner of "tolerance and acceptance."  That's what the world does and we as Christians should expect them to do so. 

Repentance and Faith in Christ alone! 

R.A. Servin

So I went last night and performed at The BrainWash.  It's funny but I really did better than I had hoped, I don't recall getting any crickets, which is a good thing, and everyone seemed to enjoy the jokes I decided to do.  You get about 5 minutes starting out so this is the set list I did last night:

We All Gotta Start Somewhere

John McLaughlin and the Great Cookie Controversy

Your Prostate and You

I quit drinking recently

A Little More on the Drinky, Drink

Black Out Drunk

I've never done Crack

I believe this will be the set I am going to be working on for the next few weeks till I get my timing down better.  I got good laughs in the right places but I messed up my wording a couple times.  I really was pretty happy with how it came out being my first live performance and all.

I also would like to just note that the staff at The BrainWash and the hosts Tony Sparks and Kaitlyn (I probably butchered the spelling of her name, sorry Kaitlyn) were both great, Kaitlyn did most of the emceeing and was really funny also.

The other comics I spent time talking to were also really pretty nice, no one was being a dick (or dickette if you have boobs) and several of them gave me some good tips on a couple other places with open mike nights that I was unaware of here in town.

So based on the little bit of success I had last night, well your just fucking stuck with me now folks!

Quando la vita ti sembra una merda e qualcuno ti fa sorridere. Quando ti senti uno schifo, sei vestita male, hai i capelli appiccicati e qualcuno ti dice "come sei bella oggi". Quando qualunque cosa succeda non ha importanza perché hai davanti la tua amica. Quando puoi permetterti di insultare qualcuno in modo bonario sapendo che capirà lo scherzo e gli verrà da ridere. Quando ricevi degli sms inaspettati. Quando parcheggi la bici in un prato e tornando a prenderla ti accorgi che è partito il sistema di irrigazione e ti bagni tantissimo. Quando ascolti delle canzoni che non ascoltavi da una vita e ti accorgi che ti piacciono ancora parecchio. Quando mandi affanculo tutto per goderti la serata, il momento, l'attimo. Quando ti spacchi in palestra perché il giorno dopo vuoi avere i muscoli indolenziti, e non ci riesci perché tutto sommato non sei così fuori forma. Quando hai i bracciali coordinati alla sciarpa di lino e a un dettaglio della maglietta. Quando per settimane ti dimentichi di guardare le statistiche del blog, perché tutto sommato non t'importa di sapere in quanti hanno letto cosa. Quando ti diverte farti fare delle foto mentre per anni l'hai detestato. Quando hai un sacco di sogni, speranze e desideri, ma preferisci non guardare troppo lontano e vivere nel presente. Quando la paura lascia il posto ad una sensazione di infinita tranquillità.

i developed ma 2 3 web sites n i all the time fight to improve ma indexing of the site so that 1 day the first hit on serch resulyt wld b mine.dats fight for the existance

Most people who know me know I tend to ride the emotional roller coaster. A ride that has become even more dizzying and disorienting lately. Last Friday I got really good news about future job prospects - this Friday (today) I get really lousy news about future job prospects. I celebrate with one friend while another is dealing with a frightening diagnosis. My son is home with me and we are hanging out - then he's gone for a week - then he gets home for a few days - then he's gone for a week. I start feeling good about choices I'm making and then I watch them blow up in front of me.

I make a lot of mistakes. I fail at things that I should excel at. I ignore the little things that make life so rich and wonderful because I'm so distracted by the big things. I forget to consult with God and find myself in holes only He can get me out of.  I'm lonely even though I have been blessed with amazing friends and an amazing community.

I am loyal to a fault. I take on my loved ones problems as if they were my own so I can be there for them and support them. I have a special way with babies. I am raising an incredible child who I love so much I physically ache.  I have the most wonderful friends, both far and near, who I care for passionately.

I appear confident and comfortable engaging strangers in conversation, while inside I'm awkward and terrified. I display a calm countenance when my anxiety is out-of-control. I cry when I'm happy, laugh when I'm angry and try to hide the fact that I'm sad. I'm well loved even when I'm not loving well. I am forgiven - though I continue to sin.

Messy.

***********

Power can only be attained in this world when we give it away at the expense of our own self empowerment. 

Humanity has trudged a long and winding road through the darkness that fell onto this planet several millenia ago.  As we look back on the past twenty-five-hundred years alone we have seen Empires expand then collapse with endless carnage and debris from wars fought for domination and Crusading hatred.  The tremendous power of those who are wired to feed off the fear generated among the masses to maintain power and control has been part of the only reality we in this cycle have known.  I perceive that they are keenly aware that an extremely ancient global castastrophe so overwhelmed the psyche of the survivors as to carry down genetically to this day.   A few scattered Enlightened beings have intervened in our long journey and endeavored to seek out those in the ongoing generations who would carry the torch lighting the way toward the Knowledge, Light, and Harmony that once existed for the ancients and will exist once again.  The realm of wired power mongers, feeders on negative energy, seized their messages and turned them into an entity called religion (supernatural constraint, perhaps from religare to restrain, tie back) in order to keep the thumb to the screw and the lid on the Truth.

Jesus, Ghandi, Quetzalcoatl, Buddha and other Enlightened beings had no intention of organizing their messages into a tightly controlled box.  They simply gave guidelines, road signs, and Faith to keep moving.  As horrible and tragic a day as 09/11/2001 was, it also opened a doorway to Light that the "supernatural constrainers" in this reality would never have perceived since dark thoughts focus only on dark outcomes.  Until that day in Earth time, the revolving-door mentality still had the masses going in circles.  The schizophrenic dimensional split occurred that day and the revolving door began morphing into a Light-emitting open door.  It took a few years in Earth time to realize that we could even leave this contained circle dance and walk away and another few Earth years to have the courage to step into the Light and speak Truth to Power. 

I have witnessed a dramatic change in focus and attitude of people I know personally, those in the community at large, and those in the larger world and realize that a point of critical mass was reached about the beginning of our year 2006, and that forward swinging door has been swinging back to kick the Feeders on the Dark T-Shirt Team ever since.

I recall a thought running through my mind when I heard that the Human Genome Project had published its first draft report on the full DNA sequencing in April 2000 (official completion came in 2003**).  That thought was Oooh, the 100th monkey just might tip the collective flow of consciousness soon  (recorded in my diary). Odd thought, I know, but it occurred to me even then that with the DNA sequence essentially completed, the very manifestation of that knowledge would kick in soon....but I was not sure exactly WHAT would manifest.  When 09/11/2001 occurred, I began to ponder this more deeply.

I am beginning to sense (and literally am witnessing in our culture) that unlocking the DNA in years 2000-2003 somehow began unlocking the DNA of all of mankind.  It has been a slow process from the point of view of Earth time but truly, I sense that the minds of darkness that have ruled endlessly are now being squeezed ever more between the twilight and the dawn of the human collective consciousness.  A day hardly goes by anymore without those in the public eye such as government/politics, religion,  media, filmmaking, etc. who had carefully been able to conceal their dark intentions for humankind by throwing a cloak of glamour around themselves can no longer do so.  Why? Because there has been a massive shift on the collective level.  The masses are beginning to see the Light more than ever before...it is coming in leaps and bounds now.  Personally, I believe that the trigger was the completion of knowledge about DNA sequencing....and I think the joke is on the Dark T-Shirt Team because the probable intention for this Knowledge was to have yet another point of control over Earth (biological weapons, viruses...***) but it is the White T-Shirt Team, the Lightworkers, who will be the beneficiaries. 

From my perspective, we are learning quickly how to step out of the circle dance and to Trust that Light in the doorway.  I suggest that our DNA is helping us in our baby steps.  As more and more pick up the Trust opened to us, the darkness between the twilight and the dawn will be subsumed.

There is always dishonor among thieves; many wannabe thieves will soon find themselves starving for Light as their cohorts go down one by one….it is the nature of the Beast. 

Collectively, we must overcome fear and turn off the human switch feeding the Supernatural Constrainers

Do not fear the Beast….defang it. 
BE THE LIGHT SOLDIERS!

**********

Defanging the Beast:
The rest of the story (as Paul Harvey would say):
(from previous post but re-posting here with updates)

CEO JIM ROGERS: Bernanke should be fired

ENGLAND: Blair Government Police Investigation for War Crimes
(Doubtful that you'll see this in the MSM)

BBC5 We Are With You Global March
(Ditto)

JAPAN:  Councillor (Congressman) Yukihisa Fujita
on 911
(double ditto)
Japanese MP Yukihisa Fujita of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet of Japan is the single most important person to step forward to ask hard questions about 9/11 and the “War on Terror” this year.

AUSTRALIA: Australian voters throw Howard government out of office
"The vote represents a decisive repudiation of the Howard government’s record of lies and criminality."

PAKISTAN 02/24/08: New Pakistan PM orders release of judges.
"(N)ew prime minister on Monday ordered the release of judges detained by President Pervez Musharraf, throwing down the gauntlet to the US-backed leader just minutes after being elected. "

CONGRESSMAN DENNIS KUCINICH: ...to Investigate 9/11 Insider Trading

CONGRESSMAN DR. RON PAUL: Constitution written to restrain government, never  people.
Sponsored a bill to overturn the Patriot Act

Eliot Spitzer Downfall: His Hypocracy or Politicorporate assassination?

BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT: Passes indictment of Bush and Cheney
"The movement is spreading because of the commitment and sacrifice of thousands of individuals who are engaged as volunteers in day-to-day organizing. Everyone should be proud of their work because this is a movement that belongs to all of us."

CANADA: 9/11 Petition Read in Canadian Parliament
"New Democratic Party Deputy House Leader Libby Davies delivers a Parliamentary Petition signed by over 500 Canadians demanding a new 9/11 investigation, in Canada's House of Commons during Routine Proceedings at 1:10 pm on June 10, 2008"

VIDEO: TRUTH RISING
Alex "InfoWars" Jones
"Seven years after the attacks of September the Eleventh, a global awakening has taken place, the likes of which the world has never seen. As the corporate-controlled media dwindles into extinction, a new breed of journalists and activists has emerged. "

THATS THE SPIRIT! 

***** 

Finally, my Plea to Political Stepford Wives:
WAKE UP, ORGANIZE, and LEAD the Charge of the Wife Brigade!
America needs positive female role models, not mindless mannequins!  get REAL, pick up a torch, and Light the way!

** I find it interesting that the U.S. Department of Energy (Genomics Energy Gov) plays a big part in the application of DNA sequencing.
***Research into the "accidental" or "suicidal" deaths of way too many top-tier biological scientists since year 2000 is an eye opener.  What Really Happened (?)

This is what happens when customers start rambling and repeating themselves on the phone. I get a bit bored and need something interesting to distract myself with when they say the same thing the 10th time, hoping it will conjure some magic that makes me do whatever they demand me to do.
It becomes ironic when they start accusing me or the company I work for not listening to them. Of course we listen to you, I say as I continue drawing.

This day didn't start good at all. I first overslept, but was only 15ish minutes late. Still being a bit sleepy and not being a morning person (ie cranky), I got a bit irritated from the morning chatter in the office. I wish for silence and serenity in the morning. Thankfully it has been not too much to do; or it might be more correct to say close to nothing.

After fighting my way through hordes of tourists walking like headless chickens I managed to get on the train. I tried reading my book, but I was too tired and I have a minor headache. I think there is a low pressure coming in over Noord Holland now.

I also noticed that I've had a hard time hearing or understanding what people have said to me today. Kind of irritating, but I'm not much of a talker so I really don't care.

Tomorrow I'm not going out of bed until I've gotten at least 6-8 hours of sleep and actually have to get up (ie when the clock starting to close in on 4pm). Saturday is our day off and we have nothing planned at all. Other than buying food for the weekend.

I think this is all I'm able to write today. Or at least what I have energy to write.

I'll try to enjoy doing the dishes and the laundry now. If I'm efficient, which is highly unlikely, I maybe can play some San Andreas later.

Take care.

It's still really difficult.

I miss her every freekin' day!

;-(

But you know what I really hate?

When you stab someone and they just don't want to die. And so you have to keep stabbing and stabbing and stabbing... and kicking and kicking and kicking. And then you have to date their mother to get back at them for living. So you can say, “Yeah, you may not have died dude, but I’m nailing your mother!” But they come back with, “Your sister does anal” So you have to come back with, “I got your grandma to bark like a dog”…

Oh wait.... No, I was thinking of something else.

Never mind.

Ghazala Khan-She has been roaming the corridors of Blogistan for the last two years, and herself started blogging from March, 2007 because she wanted to let the world know her passionate views about the judiciary who started struggling to gain freedom. The movement of lawyers for judiciary carried on and so is the blogging streak of her. You can reach her at ghazala.khi@gmail.com.

The original published interview with translation errors in punctuation and grammar (hey, it's tough tranlating languages) is at: http://www.pakspectator.com/interview-with-blogger-nick-oliva/

I am honored to be allowed access to another culture and the interest in my opinions and I thank Ghazala Khan and all others at the Pakistani Spectator for publishing them.

Here is the interview with the corrections:

Interview with Blogger Nick Oliva

By The Pakistani Spectator • Jul 18th, 2008

So in honor of all that has to be done to get ready for this wild ride that is about to leave the station, I am declaring today a Sabbath. Reading, Xbox, food, some more reading and maybe some laundry.

Tomorrow starts the whirlwind, and Sunday holds both NewSpring Greenville (am) and Anderson (pm). Lovely.

Also, because this is a stay-away-from-the-office day, I will not be posting a YouTube favorite today. I'll introduce you to Bobby soon.

I've grown so much as an individual since this time last year, maybe the biggest period of growth I'll have my entire life. But that's just the jumping point. I've made so many realizations about personal growth and relationships and values and goals and they've only shown me how much I can do with my life. I have so much more to do, and I hope in the year to come, although the changes and growth I experience may not be as prominent or as drastic, I grow just as much. I hope I become more self-confident, kinder, have a better sight of what I want to accomplish, have more appreciation for others, make an impact, let people know that I am grateful to have them in my life.

Goals to have accomplished by 20th birthday
• Become a kinder person -- more generous, more thoughtful, say and do nice things without reason
• Express gratitude more -- for nature, for family, for friendship, for intelligence, for life's little blessings
• Have at least one concrete success in relation to life goal of helping to stop global warming
• Do something every day to save the environment
• more?

World, thanks for letting me be me. Thanks for letting me be here. Thanks for allowing me to last this long. Thank you for keeping me alive. Thanks for letting me be as happy as I am. Thanks for making me intelligent and artistic and good at all of the things I'm good at - thanks for my talents. Thanks for my family. Thanks especially for my amazing friends. Thanks for people who love and appreciate me. Thanks for people being kind to me. Thanks for people who listen to me. Thanks for people who think about me and want to make me happy. Thanks for creating beauty. Thanks for the moon. Thanks for rivers and oceans and lakes and waterfalls. Thanks for gardens. Thanks for trees and clouds and all the colours you see in sunsets. Thanks for reflections. Thanks for the wind. Thanks for love. Thanks for generosity. Thanks for sharing. Thanks for gratitude. Thanks for hands. Thanks for eyes. Thanks for a voice. Thanks for me. Thank you, thank  you, thank you. I love you, world. Thank you.