What the heck!

I am sitting on my bed, trying to catch up on some flog post and i get this message

"Sorry. You have posted an unusually high number of postings today. You must wait until tomorrow."

I know I barely posted ten comments. That's "unusually high number"?. yeesh.

Anybody else experienced this at fotolog ?

Tenacity

Tenacity is a pretty fair substitute for bravery, and the best form of tenacity I know is expressed in a Danish fur trapper’s principle: “The next mile is the only one a person really has to make.” - Eric Sevareid

This blog goes out to the person (you know who you are) who pushed their way in to the end and not give up after setbacks after setbacks only to come out victorious in the end.

And what a victory that was.

There is nothing worse than the anxiety created by the uncertainty of a situation. Life then becomes that enormous roller coaster with its inherent highs and lows. We are often exhilarated by the ups, but that sudden drop will scare us to death. It is important for us to be reminded that we should never give up. You didn’t Give up! You didn’t surrender.

I believe everything happens for a reason. There is always a lesson to be learned. Sometimes we need to relearn a lesson or two. I hope you marvel in the fact that you did not give up. I hope you revel in your achievement. And always remember, you are never alone!

Pesti-cola ?

This article is a spin of from Badmash’s blog . If you have not read it, read it (and the comments) before reading further on this here….

Now that I am actually looking at the numbers from CSE lab report, holy cow! I am just glad Indian population doesn’t drink soda like Americans do. Even though ISDMA refute the results, I have no reason to suspect the credibility of CSE. It is in the best interest of both the Indian governing agencies and ISDMA to come up with standards for their products when it comes to safety of the products. I am still sticking to my original statement that all soft drinks should have been banned instead of just the two major players.

“Pesticide residues found in all soft drinks tested. (CSE tested 57 soft drink samples from 25 different manufacturing plants, spread over 12 states – roughly 30 percent plants covered."

“In India, there are no provisions for penalties for unsafe food. Therefore, even if unsafe, because it does not meet standards, cannot be penalized easily".

What India need might be something like FDA here in the States. Food safety should not be up to the politician.

This issue reminds me of MTBE issue we had in the US around 2001’s. The issue was that the gasoline additive MTBE was contaminating ground water. Just because there was evidence of contamination, did EPA ban all gasoline production?. Of course not!. EPA came up with the time line to phase out use of MTBE and replaced it with ethanol (much environmental friendly).

As far as environmental laws in India. THEY SUCK! Is it a surprise that there is DDT in drinking water there?. Western world recognized the harmful nature of DDT and DDE (degraded DDT that not use) in the sixties, banned the chemical in 1972, yet India continue to use, and has not plan to reduce the use. It takes up to 15 years for DDT to break down in soil, even then the by-products are DDE and DDD which are also highly persistent and have similar chemical and physical properties.

When the The Environment Act of 1986 authorized the central government "..to protect and improve environmental quality, control and reduce pollution from all sources (that includes ISDMA), and prohibit or restrict the setting and /or operation of any industrial facility on environmental grounds.

I guess the environment is not a top priority to the people of India.

Willful ignorance?

I went to ABC News to read the story about the airplane bomb plot in UK. Reading through the comments, I see there are people who refuse to give into reality. To these people, foiled terror attacks are nothing but propaganda. We are less than 3 months away from midterm election, so it must be a stunt to prove a point that the people are out there to kill us huh?.

There hasn’t been a single terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11. It is not because the Islamic jihads believe we are nice. It is because of diligence and proactive measures taken by the Dept. of Homeland Security and other departments by going after these terrorists.

According to a liberal, when a country fights for its own survival against these terrorist, they are only creating more terrorist. Instead of fighting them and eliminating any threat to the nation, you should “NEGOTIATE”. Imagine that!. Negotiate with terrorists!. The same terrorist who would use women and children as human shield?. The same cowards who dress in civilian cloths and hide in the midst of civilian so that they can make a quick get away?. The same terrorists who will kill they brethren for wearing short or having the wrong name?. These terrorist have no moral, no shame, no ethics. All of this in the name of religion?.

When I started writing this, the ABC story above didn’t have many comments and I couldn’t comment either. The fact that I couldn't comment really pissed me off. I feel better now :)

The good thing out of all this tighter security at the airports?. The garbage trucks never smelled better.

Isn’t this something ?..

The Gay couple who fought and won legal rights to recognize their marriage in the state of Massachusetts have announced that they have separated. They have been together for 33 years , got married in 2004, and split two years later. Did the marriage change things between them?

The whole mess started when Julie was undergoing emergency Caesarian with “their” baby and the hospital staff will not let Hillary into the room because she was neither the spouse nor a relative.

We all know two women cannot make babies. So where was the father when all of this going on? I could not find any information on where the father was at the time of Annie’s birth, but later Art Rawding and Julie and Hillary Goodridge raised Annie through a type of co-parenting arrangement; Julie and Hillary are Annie's primary parents, but Rawding also spends time with her. This way, Annie will grow up knowing her father.

"I feel like I'm the divorced father without any of the baggage," Rawding says, "in that I have a great relationship with these women and my daughter. It's totally open-ended -- they're open to as much love and support as I can give, as long as it's consistent over time. They didn't want to see me around full-time in Annie's infancy and then split.".

BAGGAGE?? Since when is bringing a child to this world became baggage?.. or may committing yourself to another is what he is referring to?..

I feel sorry for the Annie. Talk about growing up confused!. Everybody else has a mommy and daddy, Annie has two mommies and a daddy. And now that they have been separated, divorce and custody battle will follow. Sole Legal custody of a child is an endangered reality. It will most like be a joint custody. But in this case, there is three individual involved (because Julie & Hillary were legally married, and there no denying the fact that there is a father).

Good old family values are not hip any more. A father and mother committed to only each other, raising a family, instilling morality & integrity in their children are too old fashioned. Today, if you speak against the homosexuals, you are labeled homophobic. If you speak against the legal right of pedophiles, you become a bigot. You talk about illegal immigrants, its rhetoric.

I’ve heard supporters of homosexuality quote bible and say if you read between the lines you will find David and Jonathan, or Ruth and Naomi enjoyed homosexuality. Where does bible say one thing and mean another. There are clear, irrefutable scriptures that call homosexuality a sin. Why would the bible say otherwise else where “subtly”? Love is an action, Not an emotion!. There is love between parents, siblings, friends, brethren etc, which are not sexual. They are conscious act or care for each other. Then there are churches that support it. So?.. Does that make it right ?. No!.. You ask Why?.. The answer came straight out of the mouth of Jesus Christ, and is recorded for us in Matthew 7:21-23.

“Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"

Headlines from the Year 2029!

Obviously, this is from a conservative author mocking liberal influence on the future.. I would like to see the liberal version. If anybody want to take a gander at it, please post/link to post

Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia , formerly known as California.

White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language.

Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock.

Baby conceived naturally. Scientists stumped.

Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.

Last remaining Fundamentalist Muslim dies in the American Territory of the Middle East (formerly known as Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Lebanon).

Iran still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 10 more years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.

France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica.

Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking.

George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036.

Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.

85-years, $75.8 billion study: Diet and Exercise is the key to weight loss.

Average weight of Americans drops to 250 lbs.

Japanese scientists have created a camera with such a fast shutter speed, they now can photograph a woman with her mouth shut. (Hummmmmmmmm) Now that's just wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative.

Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals, violates their civil rights.

Average height of NBA players now nine feet, seven inches.

New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2036.

Congress authorizes direct deposit of formerly illegal political contributions to campaign accounts.

IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.

Florida voters still having trouble with voting machines

They really need your help...

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue of illegal immigration. Certain people are angry that the U.S. might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and once here, to stay indefinitely.

Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests.

Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your home you insist that I leave. But, I say, "I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors: I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest ... except for that part where I broke into your house.

"According to the protestors, not only must you let me stay, you must add me to your family's insurance plan and provide other benefits for me and my family. My husband will do your yard work because he too is hard-working and honest ... except for that breaking in thing.

"If you try to call the police or force me out I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my right to be here. It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm hard-working and honest .... ummmmm .... except for that breaking in thing.

"Besides. What a deal it is for me! I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of selfishness, prejudice and being anti-housebreaker!

Did I miss anything? Does this sound reasonable to you? If it does, grab a sign and go picket something. If this sounds insane to you call your senators and enlighten them because they are stumbling in the darkness right now and really need your help.


Author: Unknown..

Rant on IRS

I am absolutely dumbfounded by the lack of response I got on this post. May be lot of people out there do not care what happens to their money. Do you know how much taxes you paid last year? Not the refund you got or the check you had to write. How much did you pay as Federal Income tax? I bet you do not know with out looking it up. Everybody knows how much they take home, but do you know how much you make. The federal government is forcing us to pay taxes and we do not have any choice or say in the matter, unless we take action.

I know to most, politics and taxes are boring subjects. And they will like to keep it that way. What happens to the tax you pay out of ever paycheck, every thing you buy, every piece of property you own?

Where do politicians get their power? By manipulating the tax code to serve their constituents. What if you live in a democratic state and the party in power is republican or vice versa? The chances are your area get squat. Is that fair to you after paying your portion of the taxes just like everybody else?

Here is something you probably do not hear much about. Death Tax! Scary huh? Let us say you parents work hard to create a small successful business. When they pass away, as the children of the owner you are entitles you succeed that business is it not? Sure you are. You can keep what ever is left after you pay the death tax. And how much is it? about 55%. Imagine, a two million dollar business will lose half of their assets in taxes. Fair?. What would you do in this situation? Where would you come up with about a million dollars to pay taxes and keep the business? Or would you sell the business so that you can just pay the taxed. What about years of hard work your parents put into the business to make it successful?

Don't think it will not happen to you? Consider this.

AMT or Alternative Minimum Tax. The AMT was created 35 years ago to make sure high income-earners did not take advantage of perfectly legal deductions and credits to avoid the payment of taxes. Trouble is, due to inflation the AMT is now sneaking into middle income tax returns. Today the AMT will hit about 3.5 million Americans. I know if the tax code does not change, in a few years I will end up among the millions of Americans that would pay AMT. If you went to college, have a decent job, and are married, you will most likely end up in the same situation.

Okay. I am done ranting. I doubt this post, just like the previous one will generate any interest. Might be because people feel like if you spoke against the IRS they might come knocking down the door and audit you. Or may be because tax is something they have been paying ever since the first dollar you earned and never thought twice how the people we elected manipulate us, using our money to gain power and assume there is nothing to be done.

Just ponder this. When you cast vote at any election, you are giving the person power to act on your behalf. Do you know if the person you vote for have the same ideals and principles you have? Or do you vote for candidates that belong to the party you are registered assuming they have the same view as you? Before the next election, do you self a favor. Find out who is running and what their positions are. Remember: there is always a disparity between Perception and Reality! Do not trust the media, they will only tell you what generate rating for them. Building bridges and schools does not generate nearly as much rating as IED and kidnapping.

Our tax code is progressive. Meaning, the people who makes more money will pay more taxes, and the people who are poor, do not pay any. In other words, being on welfare and unemployment is encouraged and working hard, wise investing and savings are discouraged. Just look at the facts below.

The individual income tax is highly progressive, a small group of higher-income taxpayers pay most of the individual income taxes each year.

Taxpayers who rank in the top 50 percent of taxpayers by income pay virtually all individual income taxes. In all years since 1990, taxpayers in this group have paid over 90 percent of all individual income taxes. In 2000 and 2001, this group paid over 96 percent of the total.

In 2001, the latest year of available data, the top 5 percent of taxpayers paid more than one-half (53.3 percent) of all individual income taxes, but reported roughly one-third (32.0 percent) of income.

The top 1 percent of taxpayers paid 33.9 percent of all individual income taxes in 2001. This group of taxpayers has paid more than 30 percent of individual income taxes since 1995. Moreover, since 1990 this group's tax share has grown faster than their income share.

Taxpayers who rank in the top 50 percent of taxpayers by income pay virtually all individual income taxes. In all years since 1990, taxpayers in this group have paid over 90 percent of all individual income taxes. In 2000 and 2001, this group paid over 96 percent of the total.

The share of taxes paid by the top 1 percent of taxpayers will rise from 30.5 percent to 32.3 percent.
source: U.S. Treasury, Office of Tax Analysis

If you like to know more about the un-fairness of today's tax code and want to do something about it, check out these websites.
http://www.fairtax.org/, http://www.fairtaxvolunteer.org/,

I love all seasons of the year

. Coming from Kerala, India; where the only two seasons are Rain & No-Rain, I have learned to appreciate the beauty of the ever-changing seasons.

Most people hate winter. It is Cold and barren. Tree are naked, and bird nest are empty. Grass is brown and fragile. How can I like winter you ask?

Winter is certainly unique. There is something about the white snows of winter that heighten one’s sense of hearing. For example, don't you think it is neat to go outside during a snowstorm and hear the soundless falling snow? And haven't you been outside on a cold winter day and heard ice cracking on a tree branch, or the sound of your feet walking, sounds seldom heard during other seasons of the year. The distinctiveness of winter intrigues me. It is foreseeable yet chaotic. Brightness of any sunny day can be vanquished by the brightness of a snow cover landscape.

Mar. 20, 1:26 PM marked the end of Official 2005-2006 winter season. But this year mother nature had a different idea. Most of Indiana was covered with a blanket of snow a day after the “official” end of winter. I guess the memo got lost in the mail.

Oh sparkling snowflakes gentle and white,
Clothing from heaven, so clean and bright.
Your cold winter cover, is beautiful still,
On mountains, in valleys, on my window sill.

Let me reflect the pure driven snow,
In the winter of life, as God's mighty winds blow.
Snow on my old roof top, let His glory abound.
Heavenly flakes elegantly swirling around.
Oh, I hope to be spotless and blemish free,
Beautifully shining your Spirit in me.

In winter house, may I find the warmth of His fire,
A blessing to others, keep the flaming desire.
Like vibrant holly, with it's shiny red berry,
Ignore chilly blasts, spectacular and merry.
My leaf of life, also will not wither and fade.
Nor joy found in praising my Savior each day.

Oh sparkling snowflakes, gentle and white,
Clothing from heaven, so clean and bright.
Your cold winter cover, is beautiful still,
On mountains, in valleys, on my windowsill.
By Nina Phillips (faithwriters.com)

 

This is my very first attempt at any kind of public writing. I guess I will start of by explaining the name “Gentle Jake”. My last name is Jacob; hence, the second part of my name “Jake”. While in college, when I first realized the power of email, I needed come up with a user ID. My friend Quinn adopted the name BitterQ as one of his email ID and I thought, Hey, BitterJake sounds original. Lo and Behold I became bitterjake .. but I am not a bitter person. so it was time to change the name. I know I am the opposite of bitter, but “sweet Jake” sounded kinda, ya know.. yeah.. that.. So I decided to stick with Gentle. In a way, it pretty much explains what I am.