Kids in hell and Poverty in America

In many states there is a decline. Schools are looking to have more budget cuts.
Reductionist! Budget cuts reduce to zero. And that helps no one!

"Lawmakers don't have a clue how to fund education."
http://ktul.com/news/local/superintendent-lawmakers-dont-have-a-clue-how-to-fund-education

And the lawmakers push for budget cuts, yet there are plenty $30,000
Dodge trucks, BMW's and  Bugatti Veyron's driving around the
schools watching them crumble. Not really thinking that those kids
in those schools are the labor force.

Good news in Oklahoma is that the small oil companies want the taxes to go up.
http://newsok.com/article/5544264

And big oil also worried being the declining education.
They are pushing into the class room doing what they can to get
the kids to learn to work into the oil industry. The future of innovation and
growth is balanced on kids that may not be able to read or get a record for
shoplifting food because their parents are broke. Noted in small towns.
It's a bad thing to push in the classroom like that, it is like advertising,
but the point is why the effort to do so. The kids are looking bad getting
out of schools with low funding.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/15/big-oil-classrooms-pipeline-oklahoma-education

Also true and a good sign of growth with kids today!

The findings suggest Big Oil's environmental challenges and boom-to-bust nature 
have created a negative stigma that will make it difficult to attract talent in the future."

Younger generations "see the industry's careers as unstable, blue-collar, 
difficult, dangerous and harmful to society," the EY report concluded.

For instance, two out of three teens polled believe the oil and gas industry 
causes problems, rather than solves them.

More alarming for oil execs, young people "question the longevity of the industry, as they view natural gas and oil as their parents' fuels."
http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/21/investing/oil-jobs-young-people/index.html

Well you get what you pay for! The income equality is so high now
with the divide bad, the poor can pull everyone down with them.
"World's eight richest people have same wealth as poorest 50%"
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/jan/16/worlds-eight-richest-people-have-same-wealth-as-poorest-50

Yes it is bad! Who can trust those moderate rich or middle class when the poor people
could bring them down. "The first 200 Chirons were sold before the first delivery of
the car. The base price is €2,400,000 ($2,700,000 at the August 2016 exchange rate),
and buyers are required to place a €200,000 ($226,000 at the August 2016 
exchange rate) deposit on the car before retrieving it." 
I don't think Bugatti can't even trust them!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Chiron

The poor taking many down with them? Well yes, kids in America is looking
to be declined. And those kids will be running things you know right?

~~~~~The report also pointed out national findings such as how the number of families living in high-poverty neighborhoods has risen slightly over the past decade. In Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Mexico, at least 20% of children lived in high-poverty neighborhoods in 2015 as was the case in 2010 to 2014, according to the report.

"There were a few states in there that didn't take advantage of Medicaid expansion," she said. 'They didn't take advantage of the opportunities that the government provided over the past five years."

Other states had huge improvements in child health-care coverage. Between 2010 and 2015, California had a 67% decline in uninsured children, the highest in that time period. Colorado, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and South Carolina also had declines of over 50%, according to the report.

Speer said future health-care provisions may have an impact on the progress that has been made surrounding children's coverage.

"We definitely think that the gains we have made over the 10 or 15 years in covering kids and families are potentially at risk with the proposals that have been discussed by the president and congress," she said. "There's little doubt that there will be negative repercussions, especially for low-income familes."

President Donald Trump's proposed budget would cut the Children's Health Insurance Program by at least 20%, as well as Medicaid, which covers millions more kids.

"Kids are about almost half of all the enrollees in Medicaid, so kids would be disproportionately harmed there," said Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus, a nonpartisan advocacy organization for children and family policy issues. "And what we're talking about there is kids who are either poor or disabled, so you're really hitting the most vulnerable kids in society."
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/13/health/best-worst-states-children/index.html

Oklahoma is bad but is pushing for better. But it is dependent on the impoverished
environment. Food stamp cuts, Medicaid cuts, un-affordable healthcare pushing why
have it if you can't afford to use it anyway. These kind of things are tied together.
The one effects the others. Poverty is death to any growth as it rules.
http://newsok.com/report-shows-oklahoma-lags-nation-in-child-well-being-but-improving/article/5552891

Housing for the poor is a reflection of what you will have to look at in the future.
Labor force full of poverty is bad. How many middle class people work at Walmart?
What is Walmart going to be like with homeless workers working?

People these days live on less than 25 percent of their income.
75 percent of their income is spent on rent, utilities, car payments etc...
Living with no AC or winning the lottery is the only thing keeping things running.
Small towns make small wages noted why they have nothing because they make
nothing. Bigger cities have better wages but also with the cost of higher prices.
The wages are higher but many end up in the 50 percent of their income to live on
and that is not bad in view of small towns. But there are more small towns that
could hold back bigger towns in the lack of growth outside of town.
https://www.revvolution.com/rivet/so-this-actually-happened-tennessee-lottery-winner-somebody-direct-that-guy-to-500plus-hp-for-sale-198860/comment/1

"Nearly 39 million households can't afford their housing, according to the annual 

State of the Nation's Housing Report from Harvard's Joint Center for 

Housing Studies."

"Experts generally advise budgeting about 30% of monthly income for rent or mortgage costs."

"But millions of Americans are far exceeding that guideline.
One-third of households in 2015 were "cost burdened," meaning they spend 30% or more of their incomes to cover housing costs. Of that group, nearly 19 million are paying more than 50% of their income to cover their housing needs."
http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/16/real_estate/rising-home-costs-affordability-harvard/index.html

So keeping the same system without thinking ahead is fail!
Albert Einstein -  Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and
expecting different results.

Privatization, Oklahoma's Medicaid agency opts to cancel

Anytime you hear the word Privatization you should know
it means they are for profit in a climate facing more growth
of people in need. Also facing Trumps Medicaid cuts etc.

To privatize is to take away from people because they are
for profit to make money not loose it in the light of them loosing
money with Trumps's cuts!

"The fixed payments provide an incentive to cover only the most effective 
treatments and encourage patients to live healthier lives."

Just do without and eat more kale!

"This statewide model would have saved money for Oklahoma with a program that would better serve these individuals, providing a greater continuity of care and services that would have kept them out of the hospital and in their own homes. Any uncertainty of funding would make adopting this model all the more important," said David, R-Porter."

Just stay home we can't cover that, well... You have insurance but can't afford to use it anyway so...

This is a good thing for Oklahoma not doing this. But on the Federal side there
are cuts coming. How are any of these people going to have any spending money?
I feel sorry about all those new stores in town! Might we raise the pay so the
poor could just pull out their checkbook and pay for healthcare themselves,
not use their food money for it being they make the same pay.
Why kill healthcare over people making children wages?
Why are there adults with children making children wages?

~~~~~Asked to delay privatization, Oklahoma's Medicaid agency opts to cancel
Some people in the health care industry are relieved that privatization of an Oklahoma Medicaid program has ground to a halt for lack of funds.

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority canceled the bidding process for companies vying to manage services for the aged, blind and disabled population. The authority oversees SoonerCare, which is Oklahoma's Medicaid system that also provides health coverage for children and low-income people.

Under managed care coordination, one or more for-profit companies cover doctor's visits, prescriptions, long-term care or any other eligible cost while receiving payments from the state. The fixed payments provide an incentive to cover only the most effective treatments and encourage patients to live healthier lives.

Brett Coble, board president for the Oklahoma Association of Health Care Providers, said he hoped the authority would nix the idea.

“One of the chief reasons was the up-front cost to the state that we simply can't afford in the financial state we're in,” said Coble.

Estimates showed the state would have to pay more than $100 million extra in startup costs during the first couple of years as the service transferred to private management.

Coble also said new federal regulations threatened funding for other programs if Oklahoma switched to a managed Medicaid system. Those regulations were introduced after Oklahoma lawmakers ordered a request for managed care proposals in 2015.

“Those things put a substantial amount of federal dollars that not only nursing homes rely upon, but also a lot of our hospitals and funding that teaching hospitals use — it puts all that at risk,” said Coble, whose association represents nursing homes.

Becky Pasternik-Ikard, CEO of the Health Care Authority, said the decision was made in the best interests of the state because there was uncertainty in both state and federal funding.

“In addition to the funds needed to maintain services at current levels, the agency requested approximately $52 million to fund the care coordination model,” Pasternik-Ikard said. “The additional request was not funded; therefore, the agency is unable to move forward with the (request for proposals).”

The process cannot be restarted, and an agency spokeswoman said it's unclear whether the Legislature would have to pass another bill authorizing it.

Delaying implementation drew support this year from most lawmakers and even Gov. Mary Fallin, who asked the authority to wait a year. A resolution introduced at the state Capitol last month would have directed the authority to pause the process indefinitely, but it wasn't given a hearing in the Senate.

The Senate's Appropriations chair, Kim David, said Thursday she disagreed with the authority's reasons for canceling implementation.

“This statewide model would have saved money for Oklahoma with a program that would better serve these individuals, providing a greater continuity of care and services that would have kept them out of the hospital and in their own homes. Any uncertainty of funding would make adopting this model all the more important,” said David, R-Porter.

David also questioned the claim that, in the first year alone, it would cost the state $52 million to fund it.

“These are individuals we're already caring for, and in talking to other states, they encountered no such need for additional funding when they moved to this system,” she said.

But another senator, Rob Standridge, said data from other states shows that privately managed Medicaid is a financial drain when companies come back saying they aren't being paid enough to run the programs.

“I didn't see anything in the three-year analysis where we would experience any significant savings, and I think some of the states around us made us nervous whether we could ever experience savings,” said Standridge, R-Norman.
http://newsok.com/asked-to-delay-privatization-oklahomas-medicaid-agency-opts-to-cancel/article/5553169

There is no point

Really there is no point, to mock Trump. I am sure he as many are paranoid and

is on the internet looking at what people say about him. So really what good does it do?

What good has it done from all the other times in our past? It's better to just move on

the action of doing something about it! 

~~~~~Michael Moore says there is no point mocking Donald Trump but
instead people should resist

Michael Moore said there is no point laughing at Donald Trump for not being good at his job but instead urged his opponents to focus on growing the resistance movement.

Discussing Mr Trump’s 100 days in office, the documentary and filmmaker said the fact the US President had been barred from passing a number of policies into law was a good thing and should not be laughed at.

Speaking to Chris Hayes on MSNBC he said: “Nobody should feel glib. Nobody should be laughing.

“What good does it do us and our end  to be even laughing at Trump for all his goofiness and all is big promises if he doesn’t come through with it and at the same time we are kind of happy he hasn’t been able to do a whole lot - so that’s a good thing.”

Mr Hayes told Mr Moore he found himself rooting for Mr Trump to handle the situation in North Korea well and avoid a nuclear war.

"He will navigate us toward [nuclear war]. Our only hope is that, please Pentagon if you're watching, the football, the nuclear football ... I'm guessing they don't have the codes in there. They're never going to put the real codes in there. I hope," he said.

Mr Moore also said the first 100 days of the Trump administration were less about what the US President's successes and failures than about the build-up of a powerful civil society movement.

“Everybody tonight is talking about Trump’s first 100 days but what about the first 100 days of the resistance,” he said.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/michael-moore-chris-hayes-msnbc-donald-trump-us-president-100-days-resistance-a7709751.html

Unstable president and people needing stability

Unstable president? Well yes! Trump does have a few glitches. 
But you also need to think he is in charge, he can hit the nuke button. 
Trump is already taking action in a small town type of view. 
It's like catering to small town people that never been out of town in 10 years
they don't have a clue what is really going on. America can't be run like a 
small town, it would have nothing like they have nothing!

Or to note as in like how you always see Republican bumper stickers on the most
impoverished cars and trucks and never on a BMW,  Mercedes.
It makes you want to shake those people "Why won't you vote Democrat for people 
that want to pay you better?" It's a tossup if it's that they are sadomasochist voters, 
or stupid! Like how many don't want growth, so the town has been the same 
for 50 years with minimum wage retirees everywhere. Low pay, low growth.
Make nothing, have nothing, so they want nothing because they vote for nothing!
They like it that way! Bad for everyone else!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/01/12/shaking-hands-is-barbaric-donald-trump-the-germaphobe-in-chief

http://walmartramen.blogspot.com/2015/09/donald-trump-schizoid-man.html

But really people do seek stable jobs over the higher pay.
And that results as declining for towns. Noted in something like the 
chamber of commerce pushing for higher sales in town, working in bringing in 
stores that do not fit the wages of the town. When most people go backward, 
or just float up or down because of their wages. The wages don't grow so if there is 
a food stamp cut or any cuts the Republicans want to do, the struggling people 
will cut back to compensate. A cigarette tax Oklahoma = taking money away from 
other sales in town as they spend most of their money on the cigarettes.

There is that line of working two jobs that don't help anyway as it's like working
for $8 after taxes for 16 hours. Being it is daunting like waking up for the start
of the 16 hour shifts. Like working at Walmart in 2006 sleeping at 11 am waking up
at 10 pm (Beep, Beep, Beep!) so you can be at work at Walmart making $7 after taxes.
Work then do it again because all of your work you did the night before has vanished.



Having garnishments taking 40 percent of your income so there is no value in working
for $3 after taxes pay when the kids are running loose with the parents stuck at work
for 8 hours a day. It's better to not work!
http://blog.credit.com/2014/09/is-this-legal-40-of-my-paycheck-is-being-garnished-96899

All of this is bad for sales, growth. It sets consumer based pricing at poverty levels
as the most of the poor won't buy the high priced stuff forcing the prices lower
so they can buy it. Anything is better than nothing! Living within their means at
$8 after taxes pay.

The point????? Raise the minimum wage!!!!!! You get what you pay for!
Why impoverish the consumers they are the labor force also.
This about that question about not living in a third world country.
"What do you work for?" = "Paying the bills!" As most in small towns live
on less than 25 percent of their income! The 75 percent is on rent, bills etc!

~~~~~What Trump doesn't understand about the poor
By and large, Americans can find jobs today. But too often those jobs have wild swings in pay. A mechanic, for example, might earn $3,500 one month and then drop to around $1,000 the next, when customers don't materialize.

The working poor and, increasingly, the middle class are in a state of "persistent anxiety" about their finances, says Jonathan Morduch, the co-author of a groundbreaking new book, "The Financial Diaries," with Rachel Schneider.

President Trump tapped into exactly this deep economic unease during his campaign. He solution is to get more people working. He promised to create the most jobs of any U.S. president. It's a herculean goal, but even if Trump manages it, it probably won't be enough.

The reality is a lot of Americans who have jobs are still suffering. The authors of "The Financial Diaries" followed 235 lower and middle income U.S. families for a year, tracking every dollar they earn and spend. They found that the classic advice to work hard and "save, save, save" just doesn't pan out when so many families face several months a year where they are plunging into poverty, even if they have a job or two.

"This idea that people are misspending money, or are lazy, it's crazy," says Morduch, a New York University Professor of economics and public policy. He argues that America desperately needs better protections for hourly workers and a stronger safety net that can quickly help lower middle class families that fall into poverty for a few weeks or months of the year.

The Trump administration appears to be doing the exact opposite. Trump has proposed slashing funding for key safety net programs, and he has rolled back some Obama-era protections for federal contract workers.

Morduch was stunned by what he found when he closely monitored and interviewed 235 families. Most were working multiple jobs and not overspending at all. In fact, many were actually good savers. It's just their savings was almost always eaten up during the year to cover a "bad month."

He opens the book with Becky and Jeremy, an Ohio couple in their 30s with four kids. Jeremy is a mechanic who fixes the big trucks that crisscross America's highways. Trucks are far more likely to break down in the winter or summer. In those months, Jeremy makes as much as $3,400 a month after taxes. That translates to a healthy $40,000 income, after tax.

But his hours and pay crash during the spring and fall. One month it fell to $1,200. That puts his family below the poverty line. He and his wife had to borrow money from relatives and leave some bills unpaid, which wracks up more debt and stress.

At the end of the book, Jeremy is offered a job with lower total income for the year, but it guarantees a 40-hour work week with a stable paycheck. He takes it, and he and his wife rejoice.

"The basic story is you've got lots of workers who have hourly schedules and those schedules aren't consistent," says Morduch. That's true of waiters, dealers in casinos, grocery store clerks and fast food workers at Chipotle, McDonald's and other chains.

The real life stories in "The Financial Diaries" are backed up by a growing body of research and polling data.

A 2015 Pew poll asked Americas whether they "would prefer to have financial stability or to move up the income ladder." An astonishing 92% chose security over higher pay.

Morduch found a similar result. At the end of the year when he asked the 235 families the same question, 77% chose stability. Most, like Jeremy and Becky, were desperate for more consistent checks so they could plan their lives instead of constantly having to worry if the paychecks would go back up after a tough patch.

It might be tempting to dismiss "The Financial Diaries" as a small sample that isn't representative of America, but the country's largest bank found the exact same thing. The JPMorgan Chase & Co. Institute studied a random sample of 100,000 Chase bank accounts in 2015. There were huge swings in how much money people were earning one month versus the next.

"Volatility was even greater on a month-to-month basis than on a year-to-year basis," JPMorgan found. Some of that was due to months when families received tax refunds or a holiday bonus, but a lot of it was from fluctuations in pay, as "The Financial Diaries" chronicles in detail.

"The typical household did not have a sufficient financial buffer," JPMorgan concluded.
A lot of American families are on a "rocky road," Morduch finds. A simple way to help them is to require employers to let workers know their work schedules at least two weeks in advance, instead of changing it up last minute.
He also cautions that the working poor often turn to credit card debt or payday loans to get through the rough times. They need better options than that.
"We saw so many people get into trouble with credit card debt," he says.
http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/15/news/economy/donald-trump-the-financial-diaries/index.html?iid=hp-toplead-dom

How to Express Feelings and the Wonderwall

I am a lover type in my life I can't be any other way.
From my past loves I know life is short and why be confined in your
own life being false fears or scared about whatever it is.
My loves range from a ex teenage prostitute a victim of human trafficking.
To a lady that took me to a gay bar on the first date being from a death
threat from a biker gang, her testifying against them in federal court.
"Not one biker will step foot in a gay bar!" I guess I protected her, 
like her bodyguard!
http://walmartramen.blogspot.com/2015/05/where-have-i-been-mirror-mirror.html

When I express my feelings and say I love you I have the background to say that I do! Background? In 1985 I got hit by a car on my moped. I was stopped in the street making a left turn when a car doing around 45 mph going down the road didn't see me because he had something on his dashboard blocking his view. He hit me the bike went forward and I glided with the car grabbing hold of the hood hanging on until he stopped hard and I couldn't hang on no more. I didn't want to loose my fingers so I let go and I hit the road and skidded with the car holding on to the air dam to not go under the car. All that happened to me in the end was I bruised my kidney so I turned yellow and it pulled all the ligaments in one leg because my leg got pulled up too fast as I went over the hood of the car. It took me months to walk again!

Far more than the lady love that almost hit me. I know it would be the same
more likely but I love her! But that is a story untold as I try to save her from herself..
Or each other as I love her also.

All of these things are ok, just need express your feelings to each other.
Married with a lover is such torment without talking about it to the other.
Hiding is crap like in history over and over... Pain without growing up
talking needs, hopes and dreams. To ask what do you need? Is a good start!
You should be able to talk about such things, if not it's a red flag! Get a Divorce!
"Often and often, a marriage hardly differs from prostitution except by being 
harder to escape from." Bertrand Russell

Just sitting there with a red flag letting life pass you by living your own hell?
Tends to make life a hell for other halves also! Maybe it's better to be hit
by a car than to live in hell. But for me I tend to have a protected destiny,
so it won't happen! What else is there to do? The point of Talking!
To get your love to express her feelings. No one, can be ones secret keeper.
If your holding the bag well it's the point to note like to say don't blame me
I'm holding the bag you won't talk to me!

So that does point to why express your feelings, to stop the hurt!

~~~~~We are wired to have feelings. If we express these feelings in off-putting ways, this wiring can invite a disconnect in our relationships.  By contrast, expressing feelings in a safe way can lead to our feeling more connected, especially to loved ones.  Knowing how to express feelings tactfully therefore is vital if you want to feel close to people and to sustain your  relationships.

Sharing positive feelings solidifies relationships.  Love, appreciation, gratitude, delight sharing these feelings builds affectionate bonds.

At the same time, stresses occur in everyone's life, leaving them with sad, scared or mad feelings.  In addition, differences and hurt feelings will occur from time to time between just about any two people who often interact.  Sharing feelings enables you to talk through the situation that had caused the difficulty.  That way you can figure out how the problem occurred and what to do to fix it. Problem-solving together makes negative feelings lift.  Otherwise the problem may linger or get worse, negative feelings may fester, and both you and your relationship suffer.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/resolution-not-conflict/201305/how-express-feelings-and-how-not

Divorce is Actually a Good Thing

"Often and often, a marriage hardly differs from prostitution except by 
being harder to escape from." Bertrand Russell

As I say there is a need to be a lover of life. And a point of people in hell
want ice and how long is the wait? In a bad marriage?
Are you willing to spend 100 years with that person if you are
not able to work something out? There is that point to be open about it,
ask is it love? If your lover loves you, does it effect you? If it does then it will be for 
the good and is the point of working it out to make it good for you as it's up to you... 
Talk to make it better for you. 

For the lover to ask what is your hopes and dreams being for you is gold!
That is not normal to be in marriage long time! Life is short anyway!



If the marriage is not good for all then it is like withholding
your rights. And there is a need to take action for a life changing event!
Change does people good!

Taking action? A coworker at a hotel I worked at in the 90's had a bad time.
Her mom died in another town in the backwoods. And there was a issue of
getting her mom to the bigger city she lived in. City Hall fee crap!
So she drove down there to the funeral home she was kept at till it
was worked out. And she got her mom put her in the passenger
side of her car and took off to the bigger city going through the toll booth.
Taking her to the bigger city's funeral home. Took care of her mom!
And I supported her as I was a psychology major knowing the issues there
after I found out what she did!

That is a life changing event and it happens all the time. It's just a point that
needs to be seen as, or to ask is it a false fear holding people back?
There is a many times a lady took care of her needs!
With love and support!

Holocaust education, 95-year-old Holocaust Survivor Spy Singing Metal

In these times we all need to think of where we all are.
People suffer today reflecting that suffering has been seen
way back to the beginning of human existence... Why?

Isn't it time to treat people fair. To ask why are you acting stupid
is a needed question to ask!

Holocaust education? It's about learning about it to relate
to how you see how others are treated also.

~~~~~The National Council of Jewish Women Holocaust Education Center features an introductory panel with this text:

The word Holocaust means “wide spread destruction.” By the end of World War II, six million European Jews had been destroyed. Many other people were also killed by these systematic atrocities, including Gypsies, political dissidents, homosexuals, Jehovah Witnesses, labor unionists and those with mental or physical disabilities.

European history is darkened by instances of anti-semitism, but the Holocaust was unique in scope, barbarity and the concentration on the murder of one people (genocide). Moreover, anti-semitism was given legal sanction by the German Government, which devised a program referred to by the code name of THE FINAL SOLUTION, whereby the entire Jewish people were to be wiped out by means of persecution, enslavement and extermination.

Throughout the war, Jews were forced to leave their homes for imprisonment and death in concentration camps established by the Germans. Originally the plan was to eliminate all Jewish men, women and children by mass shootings, two million perished in this way. Four million more were killed by poison gas, starvation, disease or by forced labor in the camps.

By the end of the war, one third of the Jewish population of Europe had been murdered. A thousand years of European Jewish culture had been obliterated.

The Holocaust Education Center at the Miller Museum was dedicated in April 1995, fifty years after the liberation of Dachau by members of the Oklahoma 45th Infantry Division. The dedication took place during the Tulsa Jewish community’s annual observance of Yom HaShoah, the event that commemorates the victims of the Nazi genocide. The photograph, donated by a local veteran, depicts Dachau after liberation.
http://jewishmuseum.net/collections/kaiser-holocaust

~~~~~Dedicated to ALL refugees, dedicated to all Holocaust survivors, dedicated to all who are suffering injustice and violence. This 95-year-young Holocaust survivor hero tells her story in a powerful song to which she wrote the lyrics. To honor her Jewish heritage and to honor the current refugee crisis that affects mostly Muslims, we used both a klezmer clarinet played by the brilliant Nuno Antunes (from Broadway's "Fiddler on the Roof") and the oud (Arabic lute) played by Pedro H. da Silva. Virtuoso piano by the incomparable Lucía Caruso, who wrote the music with Pedro.

Most people forget that the US refused thousands of Jewish refugees during WWII, including Anne Frank and her family. Inge Ginsberg is alive today because Switzerland opened her arms to her. Let's not keep making the same mistakes. Let's open our arms and hearts to peaceful refugees who are fleeing terror, misery and death in their lands. Let's help the less fortunate. It's what the great leaders of all faiths have always preached – this is what is taught by Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, etc., and yes, Islam.

The Holy Qur'an 8.74:
And (as for) those who believed and fled and struggled hard in Allah's way, and those who gave shelter and helped, these are the believers truly; they shall have forgiveness and honorable provision.

Leviticus 19:33-34 and 24:22:
When the alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

And for those who insist in making distinctions between the three sister Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – and pitting them against each other, this is what the holy Qur'an has to say about that:

2:136
Say, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."

To peace, to justice, to refugees, to immigrants, we dedicate this video.

The Bok Choy Salad and the Space Junk

In life there is not much that you can do but just go for the ride
on the space junk. Junk? In what term? Life, work or being lovesick or whatever
the point of why it effects you making that junk.

What are you to do? Just go on the ride and make some Bok Choy Salad!

~~~~~Bok Choy Salad
Directions

In large pan melt butter and add sesame seeds, sugar, broken ramen noodles, almonds.

1. Brown and set aside to cool. After cooled, break up and set aside in small bowl.

1. Wash and chop bok choy (smaller is better) and green onions in large salad bowl.

1. Dressing

1. Mix vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce.

1. Just prior to serving the salad, (plan for this salad to be the last thing you pull together for the event), mix bok choy and ramen noodles mixture. Drizzle dressing over salad or pass dressing around in small bowl.

1. 1⁄2

1. cup butter

1. 2

1. tablespoons sugar

1. 1⁄2

1. cup sesame seeds

1. 2

1. (3 ounce) packages ramen noodles (uncooked, broken up, & do not use seasoning packs)

1. 1

1. (3 ounce) package sliced almonds

1. 1

1. (2 lb) bok choy

1. 4

1. stalks green onions with tops

1. 3⁄4

1. cup vegetable oil

1. 1⁄4

1. cup red wine vinegar

1. 1⁄2

1. cup sugar

1. 2

1. tablespoons soy sauce

http://www.food.com/recipe/bok-choy-salad-184840

Todd Rundgren, Learning starts after

I say this a lot. "Your education is only worth the paper it's printed on."
Meaning just because you have a degree it doesn't make you smart.
The degree is like your Olympic torch it's the start of your run!
You learn afterward. Give it's like going to a hospital or the VA in
a small town full of Doctors in training learning as they try to fix you.
But we all learn hopefully! And that is what matters the after your degree!

~~~~Todd Rundgren: 'What I'm doing isn't even really music' 
a classic interview from the vaults

Todd revealed a higher purpose to Ben Edmonds last summer: "It's hard for me to say that what I'm doing isn't even really music, because deep inside of me, what I want to do is much greater than music. Music is the way I understand how to communicate now, the way that I've learned how to communicate … but it will eventually have to go beyond that. You see I've realised that music is not what keeps people involved – it's the attitude behind the music."

And even more specifically, he told Rock Magazine's Anne Marie Mildo, "there's a certain level of communication that people just aren't using, and the place I'm going involves turning that on. Once I do it'll be easy for everybody to understand it, it'll be easy for every one else to get to that place, too. That's what I'm doing musically … Two or three albums from now people will realize it. They'll realise that my music is like a map to get to that place."

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/mar/13/todd-rundgren-classic-interview

Sex drive High, others Not and That Talk

In the view of sex therapy the focus is a resolve on the persons that has issues.
Sex is sex it's about fixing the issues to make each lives better, without the conflict.

If there are issues you need to ask where did they come from?
Be open have "That Talk!" Why? What would be the ending be?
Breakup, divorce! Time is not a matter of stability in a relationship.
Really humans are not designed to be with each other long term.
And so there is a need to talk about it accepting each others needs,
hopes and dreams. 

Love has no boundaries it's just we all put false fears ahead
of such goals in our lives. As like wanting that talk from a married lady.
Now that is no boundaries! She is married and the point is for her best interest.
As it's also everyone else's best interest if she is the best interest of them!

But anyway sex drive is factored in many ways. Age, health etc...
If the couple is 55 and they chase after their career the question needed is to
ask what are you going to be like at 70? With health issues that come with
the age. Sex drives are hard to come by as you get older.
Thus the whole point of females getting hormone treatments back in the days.
So time is short. 

Time is short so if it's, a willing take that in. How often does those opportunities
come your way? And so noting that, comes "That Talk" accepting that
gold in ones life! It's worth it!

~~~~~I have a very high sex drive but my long-distance boyfriend doesn't

My long-distance boyfriend and I rarely have sex when we are together. I have a very high sex drive and I don’t think he does. I don’t want to end my relationship, but my sexuality has always been a big part of who I am. I have tried talking to him, but he gets really defensive.

The notion of “high” or “low” sex drives is misleading, because throughout their lives, people normally experience fluctuations in desire. These increases and decreases may depend on many factors – such as health, age, stress, fatigue or relationship factors such as unexpressed anger, fear or resentment. Most commonly, when we judge a person for having a “low” sex drive; what we really mean is that he is currently not as available for sex as we would like him to be. The complaint itself is rarely useful, since – as you have discovered – it can inspire defensiveness. The only way to have a productive conversation – and you do need to have that talk – is to approach him very gently and without blame. Start by letting him know how much you enjoy the erotic connection between you, and encourage him to be frank about what he likes most. Listen calmly and openly. Perhaps you need to find a way to reduce the stress of travelling. Long-distance relationships are challenging; the common expectation – that everything needs to be wonderful when you do get together – is unrealistic, and after a separation many partners need a fair amount of time to become fully reconnected.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jun/05/i-have-a-very-high-sex-drive-but-my-long-distance-boyfriend-doesnt

Walmart worker delivery

There is something sort of new getting out there. It's a Walmart worker
making a delivery on the way home. Yes they get pay for it and it is optional
if they want to do it or not. 

For me it would be good for a bit of pay like a gig economy.
But I see some liability, risk. As in if a worker lives in a bad place
would they get held up? The worker needs to think about it.
Also the corp needs to look at possible harm to the worker.
So Walmart would have to bump up the support 
for the worker that does it. Bigger things need bigger pay!

I do see this as a temp decision as it grows a full system would
be running replacing the workers with full time workers doing
the delivery. Take the money and run, is what I would say about it.
Do it while you can.

If only this was going on back in 2006 when I was there. My past girlfriend
put a pool table in her GEO METRO and drove with the thing on her head.
I drove behind her in my car, on the phone with her I think telling me when she 
wanted to turn right so I would turn right before she did making her a path.

~~~~~Some Walmart workers now deliver packages on their way home

"Since it's on your way, can you drop this off?"

That's essentially what Walmart is asking some store workers, if they've opted to participate in a new delivery program.

More specifically, the retailer is testing out the concept of having employees deliver packages to customers' homes on their commute home.

In a blog post published Thursday, Walmart (WMT) touted the idea as a way to both speed up its delivery service and help employees make a little extra money.

Two stores in New Jersey and one in Arkansas have been trying it out over the past month, and Walmart insists "the response from associates and customers has been great." It's not clear when or if the program will expand.

The company says it's developed an app that allows employees to sign up for the program, and that participation is optional. The app can alert an associate when there's an order destined for a location that's on his or her way home.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/01/news/companies/walmart-employees-deliver-packages/index.html

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/06/03/walmart_invites_workers_to_deliver_packages

EU to bypass Trump after Paris climate agreement pullout

This is a good thing and funny as it says a lot!
To note it's like the way red states always withhold it's peoples rights.
Republicans are paranoid and they like to withhold peoples rights.
Well stupidity is not a point of view so life goes on without them.

Or Republicans vote against their best interest, like cutting off their
leg to save their toe, expecting you to do the same.
Why would they make it bad for themselves voting that way.
Republicans don't like poor people shown time and time again
food stamp cut, cut this and that... For the rich people? NO!
Work hard and make the same pay, drive bad cars.
Ever notice Republican bumper stickers are always on tore up cars?
Never on a Mercedes! Vote for people to keep them in the bad car!
They like it that way. Sadomasochists, they like their misery, they like it!

So to me I always just ignored the Republicans, just go around them 
they burn themselves out in time! Like natural selection thus cleaning the
gene pool. Like hearing a shootout in front of your house at night, then
the next day there is a dead beaver with a banjo in the street and
on one knows how it got there. A why ask why? 
It's only a concern to them, a whatever to everyone else!
So is the Paris agreement to the Trump administration!

~~~~~EU to bypass Trump administration after Paris climate agreement pullout

The European Union has rejected Donald Trump’s offer to renegotiate the Paris climate agreement and pledged instead to bypass Washington to work with US business leaders and state governors to implement the historic accord’s commitments.

Less than 24 hours after the US president announced his decision to withdraw from the 2015 agreement and strike a new, less ambitious deal with the rest of the world, Brussels declared its outright refusal to engage in such talks.

EU officials will instead cut out the White House to deal directly with the US states and major corporations, many of whom have already pledged to live by the terms forged in Paris.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/02/european-leaders-vow-to-keep-fighting-global-warming-despite-us-withdrawal

Teacher Pay Penalty like a Dishwasher

All over the US there is declining education system's running downward.
You get what you pay for. It's like a no correction for inflation,
or like consumer based pricing in the educational system. 
Like working as a dishwasher moving up to a waiter but keeping the same 
pay as a dishwasher but working like a waiter but going lower!

So being a Teacher in these days and looking ahead is like a dishwasher job.
Teachers are Dishwashers in the future mostly noted in Oklahoma!
Looking for a job as a Dishwasher? Well yes with declining pay!
So in life going to a dishwasher I would say it's ok to have more 
inappropriate relationships with custodians. They get lonely also!
The point is to get more support, nothing is wrong with it!
How often does those things come around? Just in a life as a dishwasher!

~~~~~Think teachers aren’t paid enough? It’s worse than you think. Everybody knows that nobody goes into teaching to get rich, but teachers don’t expect to be penalized for their chosen profession. A new study finds that what is called the “teacher pay penalty” the difference between teachers and comparable public workers is bigger than ever.

In 2015, the weekly wages of public school teachers in the United States were 17 percent lower than comparable college-educated professionals — and those most hurt are veteran teachers and male teachers.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/08/16/think-teachers-arent-paid-enough-its-worse-than-you-think

Poverty Tax Cigarettes taking the food money

Well if they wanted me to buy something then they would of paid me better!
In Oklahoma well there is now a cigarette tax. A poverty tax being it's the
poor that gets hit being that more poor smokes than not.

So thinking they will quit smoking is not in reality.
Unless they make $15 an hour and can pay their bills and rent, car payment
without walking with no car. Otherwise the family is fighting over money and
having the husband go fishing leaving the wife to her own devises training
her brain to be psychotic and her to smoke more.
I don't think quitting is going to work.

They will never let go of their cigarette from their dead cold dead hands!
The tax increase will just take away more money from the poor.
In other words it's like the poor got a smaller paycheck to live on so they
have to cut back their spending. Not to even say about the food stamp cuts.

So don't expect a sales push to work on the poor!
You make nothing, you have nothing. That is why small towns have nothing
because the make nothing... Sorry my income is too low!

This is a cut back time. And that is what the poor does.
They are not a good tax revenue source as something goes up in price,
something has to come down being they make the same pay.
I say they should of taxed Chardonnay or relating being the people that buy
it is a better stable tax revenue source as it won't effect the labor force as
you don't see the middle class and rich working at Walmart it's the
unsupported poor doing without!
http://www.newson6.com/story/35570945/cigarette-tax-increase-expected-to-make-big-impact-on-smokers-state

About Ronnie James DIO

Way back in in the 80's when I was a middle school kid I met DIO!
And from my view I seen him as a not a bad person.
He did not want any of his band mates on drugs, drunk etc. 
Even though at the time he kind of insulted a family member
of mine that was on drugs at the time. Ronnie was right about it.
The drugs where bad on my family member and he woke up
from it, never on it again. 

So the point of this? Things are not bad as you are told they are!
In the 1980's in Oklahoma and more in the backwoods DIO was
seen by them as evil. Today it is known as the dark ages from the past,
in today's life.

The lack of Knowledge is the issue. Raised in a corn field your mind is only
mushed as the corn field you live in. Expected by the environment
of the dark ages types! They like it in the dark! 
And points to who is evil?

But just think and ask, the light is easy to come on!
It makes life better for everyone!

***My friend had a relative that was in the band DIO. 
Me and my friend where riding our bikes at ORU tulsa and DIO was
playing in Oklahoma at the time. His relative was looking for him and
his mom said we where at ORU riding bikes.
So he took his white limo to ORU and found us!

They put our bikes in the back of the limo and we got a ride with the band
back home. Yes I met Ronny James Dio he was not happy about having a
white limo because the black ones where all used up for funerals white was
all they had. "The prince of darkness does not drive up in a white limo!"
He was kind of not happy he was in a white limo and being at ORU!
"Is this ok?" Funny!

He asked me about my famous family member and he kind of insulted him / me
on the fact of the cocaine use he had at the time.
"Too bad... If one of my band mates used the drug they would be fired.",
"Where is he anyway?" (No one knew at the time!)

The DIO video "The Last In Line" it relates of us riding our bikes and the kid on the
bike was based on my friend. I think that guy with glasses in the guitar solo looks
like me! I remember hearing the song in a elevator in the 90's.
Spooky, elevator music, funny at the time!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEV4Tov1GBM

And yes a nun hit me with a ruler!
http://walmartramen.blogspot.com/2014/12/my-middle-school-best-time-of-my-life-84.html