I know that this list is not a forum for politics, but personally, I am much
more angry with the hypocrites who have wasted billions going after Clinton
(for a moral, not a federal crime - because they couldn't get him for any of
the potentially really criminal things he was first accused of, so they
turned to tabloid news), and who on the other hand, are the same ones who
traditionally have been against big government and its spending, and back in
the eighties, were spending amazing amounts of money on hawkish nuclear
weapons, while cutting domestic programs.

Not too long ago I used to volunteer as a tutor at this housing project in
Trenton, NJ.  Some of the people who lived there volunteered their time to
serve as like security guards.  Basically, just by their presence, drug
dealers, etc. were deterred from some of their actions (at least they moved
them elsewhere or otherwise were a bit less obvious than before).  When our
wise leaders decided to cut the budgets for some of this sort of thing, no
longer could the project even afford the volunteers, so once they were gone,
you could see almost immediately the whole atmosphere of the place change,
and for us, we became more and more concerned about going down there to
tutor.  At one point, some of the tutors were supposedly really harassed.
It was sad, cuz we weren't being paid either, and besides the tutoring, part
of our purpose in going down there was to show these kids that there were
others ways out  of that situation that they were growing up in, other than
the ways they typically saw daily.  The lesson everyone got tho' was that
government would much rather spend huge amounts on military, etc., than on
its own people.  The cost to benefit ratio of funding these volunteers was
so much greater than for some of the other things that the money was
diverted to.  Just a small investment in these kids could have saved the
government alot more later on, if these same kids got educated, went to
work, etc., rather than continuing to propagate the same welfare lifestyle
they were raised in.  One night when I showed up,  the tutoring had for some
reason been cancelled for that night, but I ended up staying for a while
after all.  This woman wanted so bad for her kid to get some help with his
homework, as she couldn't help him cuz she didn't read, so I ended up
tutoring him from the hood of my car.  That's pretty sad when the parents
really want more for their kids, but can't even begin to give it to them.

The reason I bring all this up is, I do agree that the government should
invest more in its own people, either via education, healthcare, the arts,
etc, because that it ultimately costs them less to have productive citizens,
rather than citizens living on welfare or disability.  I also believe that
national security is as much derived from having an educated, active
citizenry (especially in a democracy where it is not only one's right to
vote, but one's responsibility - but first one must be able to think
critically) as it is from having a strong military, etc.   I disagree,
however, with the attacks on Clinton.  I believe that the Republicans have
wasted much more money than has Clinton, on something that was not a federal
crime, and that they may have even jeopardized national security with this
stupid affair, by distracting the president and the rest of the country from
more important issues and also possibly making some of these terrorists
think that since we're so caught up with this b.s., that now's a great time
for them to go into action cuz we're too distracted to respond.  Altho' I'm
no hawk, by any means, I think his decision to attack was necessary and had
nothing to do with this affair.  I'm amazed he's been able to function at
all in his presidential duties, considering the time he's been forced to
waste in dealing with  this other bogus stuff.

Terrorists are cowards, in my opinion, no matter if their beef if justified
or not.  (Ghandi stood up to the British without using force and made a big
impact).  No matter whether I might at first agree with their arguments, I
lose all respect for them when they resort to these methods.  Force,
however, is sadly enough, probably the only type of response that they will
listen to.  It made Khadafi back down for a while.  And I think that if
force is going to be used, it should be swift and effective, not dragged
out.

Finally, on a related note, here's also a poem that I wrote a few weeks back
in response to that bombing in Ireland which took three children's lives:

INNOCENT BABES


Eire, Oh my Eire
Land across the sea
In the silhouette
Of the Rockies
I see you looking
Back at me

Strains of Celtic fiddles
And bagpipes
Fill the air
As this morning's
Headlines
Fill me with despair

Are ye the Emerald Isle
Or perhaps
The Isle of Gloom
Where hypocrisy
Leads to tragedy
And tragedy leads to doom

Your law forbades abortion
When a child's
Still in the womb
Yet once again
A terrorist's bomb
Has sent three more to the tomb

In a country
Long embittered
By fierce internal strife
All arguments
Lose their validity
When the cost is a child's life

Prayers for peace
Now shattered
By murderers who seek control
May God who is
Above religion
Save this country's soul

Eire, Oh my Eire
Land across the sea
I pray for you
To now rise
Above
Your bloody history

May God have mercy
On Ireland
And on all the Earth
May peace and not hatred
From your womb
Henceforth be given birth


*************

Now back to the subject at hand....

Keep praying for a cure for PD!  I'm still looking for mine to come from
somewhere other than drugs based on animal research.  (just trying to stir
up some further controversy).  Sometimes I'm torn on whether I really want
to be cured by something tested on another first.  Is my life really worth
more?  I don't know, but I do know once I'm cured (or maybe before), I'm
going to one day create my own foundations/research facilities.  One is
going to take advantage of the grants that the NIH gives to those trying to
find alternatives to animal research (i.e., other testing methods which do
not require the animals) and the other is to research ways to eliminate
pesticides and other toxins, and to encourage people to become more
cognizant of the products they use and what their consequences are
(encourage responsible consumption).  To me, the ultimate cure for pd, lies
as much in eliminating some of the causes/triggers, as much as addressing
the genetinc link and treating it once it's already set in.  Like I've said
before, my body evolved in a world without all of these toxins, so I don't
necessarily agree that my genes are "deficient."  God made me the way I am,
and I like to  think that that's the way I'm supposed to be.  If I'm
sensitive to toxins, I don't believe that it's MY problem and that I need
fixing.  I think that some of this research effort and funding would do just
as well by working toward eliminating the triggers as to identifying genetic
links.  People did get pd before the 20th century and before the industrial
revolution, but I don't think as many got it at 25 like I did, and like many
others now do.

Well, that's enough stirring the pot for one day.  'Til next time!

Wendy Tebay