Wonderful world, incredible universe, happy humans

I heard on the news recently that most people value character over candidates' positions on the issues, but I am curious about the latter.

Of course there is a relationship between who people are ("the content of their character," as Martin Luther King said), and what they do, but I think action is more important than existence. I don't admire "good" people who do nothing.

I wish I could find a site that would have info on how candidates feel about issues such as
1. abortion
2. the war in Iraq
3. terrorism
4. health care
5. education
6. taxation
7. job training for the unemployed
8. immigration (I don't like the phrase "illegal aliens"; I prefer "illegal immigrants")
9. global warming
10. gas taxes
11. birth control
and so on.

I wonder if I sometimes criticize religion (especially Christianity) because I feel scared and outnumbered... and therefore wrong. Maybe I want to justify my atheism. Maybe I am insecure in my atheism. Maybe I'd be happier if I had more faith in more things.

Despite the reasonableness and kindness of many religious people (such as my wonderful Uncle Emory), I try to reduce my arguing about religion by telling myself that arguing with religious people is like arguing with bricks.... only noisier and more upsetting.

I should try to find the text of Bill Clinton's speech supporting religion and criticizing extremism.

I should follow Christ's advice and be more agreeable.

I read part of a book that put religious feelings in the nonlogical half of the brain. Makes sense to me. Using logic against faith is like using cooked spaghetti to try to stop a garbage truck..... ineffective. I'm stupid to do it. I should stop it.

I guess a lot of people don't get the rest they want. Sometimes it is hard for me to get out of bed and get going. I have a list of things... and that list helps me get up and get going. Nothing on the list is really that hard, unless you count "getting out of bed." That can be hard for me.

I didn't know that poor sleep affected the heart. I fear that I don't get mine pumping enough. The best I have been doing is to walk the dogs. Good for the heart and soul.

I.M.H.O., my feelings depend on
1. external reality
2. internal reality (my thoughts and feelings).

I try to improve both areas. Doing things to calm myself, doing things to increase my income, doing things to entertain me..... those are things in the external realm... but I need internal motivation to do them.

Direct change of internal states is not easy for me. I do meditate in a variety of ways:

1. Something I concentrate on the sensation of the breath in my nose.

2. Sometimes I count (to 8 or 4).

3. Sometimes I focus my attention on what I hear, or feel, or see.

4. Sometimes I try to think of pleasant things that actually exist.

5. Sometimes I daydream of what changes I would make to this world to make it more in tune with my wishes.

For example, I might imagine a world without disease... where hospitals would become hotels... and doctors become teachers.

I might imagine a world where breeding of humans, cats, and dogs was more difficult. I.M.H.O., overpopulation causes habitat destruction and death.

I want to be stronger. I want to be healthier. I guess they are related.

Blogs, Diaries, Books, Magazines, Newspapers

My neighborhood association isn't all bad, although they made a ridiculous request that I trim the grass near my trees and at the base of my house (I liked the soft natural effect of long grass around the trees and the house). But the thing at right shows that the Neighborhood Nazis do more than complain and plot to build a pool across the street from my house. They also have a pack of dogs that sniffs for dangerous substances. Dogs have an excellent scent memory.

I'd read any blog that was consistently funny, entertaining, and informative. I like strong opinions (especially ones that I agree with). I like jokes and funny pictures. I like to know what's new with my friends.

Blogs can be like diaries. They can also be commentary on current events (I guess you probably know that I am a Libertarian/liberal who thinks that the U.S. should not have invaded Iraq... and that we should get out of their A.S.A.P. to save lives, to save $$$$$, and to go after Osama Bin Laden).

Speaking of Libertarians, have you taken "The Smallest Political Quiz In The World"? Go to www.lp.com to take it. It is imperfect, and subject to disagreement, yet interesting. Freedom is an interesting issue. I.M.H.O., we have too little freedom in this country.

And I have an opinion that few liberals do: Statelaw should supersede federal law. This means that a state's laws could contradict federal law... and the feds couldn't do a thing about it.

The result? Some states would be more liberal or more conservative than the feds want.

Speaking of the feds, I believe that the Senate should be disbanded because it does not represent the American people fairly. For example, California has a population of 34 million..... but only two senators.... while Rhode Island has a population of 12... and two of these people are senators. Inhabitants of underpopulated states have too much influence on federal law..... inhabitants of populous states have too little federal power. It's not fair.

Information. When you think of a word, do you see it in your mind? Do you see and hear it? "Your mind's eye" is a familiar phrase.... why not "your mind's ear"? Which nuts have good fats?

What do conservatives want to conserve? American freedoms?

How do we remember smells? Smells may trigger other memories, but how does the sight of a cup of coffee trigger the memory of coffee's smell?