America's Long Descent Into Night

The powers that be already control all the money in the world, they already control most of the natural resources and they already control most of the biggest corporations. The only thing they don't control is you.

Since the greed and lust of the powers that be requires them to control Everything, they must find a way to control you. They have already accomplished this to a large degree. The powers that be already control your money, your job and the way you view the economy. They have already made you dependent upon an educational system that trains people to become even more dependent upon the big corporations and the government. There is only one more thing to do to make you absolutely and completely dependent; there is only one more thing they must do to make you completely and totally a slave; they must make you completely subservient to them by stripping away your freedom and rights. The way they do this is through fear.

If this assessment is accurate, the powers that be will continue to chip away at our liberty by perpetuating our fear. They will degrade our liberty by continuously introducing new threats and new ways of combating those threats. Or they will introduce new methods of combating existing threats. These measures will all be introduced in the name of public safety, for national security, for the stability of the dollar or the economy or the stock market or to provide domestic peace or international stability. The authorities will say that these measures are necessary for peace and safety or to protect the people from danger. And the vast majority of Americans will accept these measures and the loss of their liberty, perhaps reluctantly, more likely willingly, but we will accept the loss of our liberty to protect ourselves from the evil the exists in the world, never realizing that the evil that exists in the world is the same blanket we cover ourselves with at night.

Our next President will be the person who conforms to the agenda of the powers that be, whether that be public or private, while garnering the greatest degree of public support. His or her public stance will most likely be that which expresses some degree of giving the government more control while, in other areas, proposing less. Once in office, the current trend will continue, regardless of who is in office or whether the next President is Republican or Democrat. The only way to stem this flow is for the people to elect the individual who advocates most strongly for the most limited size and role of government as possible.

The way of the future seems most certain and the following scenario most likely. A group of people small in number at first, but growing over time, will refuse to adhere to the fear-mongering fairy tales that beset us at every turn. They will grow fearless. Growing fearless, they will become less dependent. Becoming less dependent they will become more independent in terms of happiness, wealth and power. By not adhering to the common convention of fear and by demonstrating the power and wealth that slowly accrues to those who do not fear the scare stories, who do not fear responsibility and who do not fear liberty, more and more people will join them and become like them and the powers that be will see their power slipping away. Then, they will overreact.

At some critical point, when their own fear of loss of control has reached forced them to act, they will do so. The powers that be will unleash the most destructive and fearful acts they can imagine. The powers that be will unleash war, they may destroy nations - perhaps even the most powerful of nations - and they may even unleash nuclear holocaust. During this dark, dark period, many of those who had learned not to fear will learn fear once again. Many of those who had left the path of fear will turn back. The majority of the people who had escaped the control of the powers that be will slip back under their control. But a remnant of the truly free will escape. A small number of those who are truly without fear will remain without fear, they will not give in, they will not give up. They will remain free and independent. Though the powers that be may hunt them down from place to place, from state to state and from nation to nation, those who follow the Way will not fear and remain free. Eventually, the world will die. This may occur in a few years or may require several decades, but eventually the horrors released by the powers that be will consume all of the world that was. The way of life, the culture, the hedonism and materialism, the structures and institutions of the world that was will be no more. The powers that be will be gone along with all those who followed them and did not stand up for their rights but succumbed to their own fears.

Following the world of darkness will be a world of light. The small remnant of the free - the followers of the Way - will inherit a brave new world, a world brighter, bigger and better than the old. The old will make way for the new and the old will pass away. That which once was will be no more and true peace, love and harmony will reign in a world of love and light. This is the world that those who escaped the powers that be will inherit for it is written; "the meek shall inherit the earth."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6724634

Space Exploration, NASA, the USA & the Mission to Mars

I jumped into a recent conversation online which took the position that money invested into NASA and space exploration was a waste and could be better spent elsewhere at this time. My reply:

"The return on investment from NASA and space exploration has rivaled or exceeded that of many private investment vehicles. But this is because the gov was wise enough to allow the contractors to use the discoveries extracted from space research as they saw fit. I grew up when all of America hovered around a grainy black and white picture a few inches across to watch Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon. It was a very exciting time. The greatness and nobility of America is when we seek the dream - and then pull together to do it. The power of America lies in the ambition of our ideals, not in the fears of our hearts. The strength of America is when we dare the impossible and then do what it takes to get it done, not in worrying about the minutiae of roi or cash flow. The strength of the American people is the imagination to dream big and then stand on the moon. Mars is next. And we should do it.

America should put a crew on Mars because - as John Kennedy said, "not because it will be easy, but because it will be hard," we should put a crew on Mars not because it is something China would do, but because it is something America would do. America should put a crew on Mars not for any anticipated returns, but for the achievement of an ideal; America should put a crew on Mars not because it is what any nation would do, but because it is something that only a great nation can do, and America is a great nation. When we plant that American flag on the red sands of Mars, we do it not to prove to our enemies that we are a powerful nation that must be feared; we do it not to show to our friends and allies that we are a great nation, nor do we plant a flag on Mars to expand our territory or defend our status, no, we plant the red, white and blue on a far distant planet to prove that impossible dreams are possible to a people that dream big."

America, Down and Out?

Millions are out of work; the real unemployment rate stands at somewhat above 16%. Thousands of demonstrators occupy city streets and parks while unions throw in their support for the demonstrators. Congress is paralyzed into immobility while the people seem confused, divided and rooted in chaos. America is facing dark days; our economy teeters on the edge of a cliff and foreclosures continue forcing American families into the streets and shelters and to live with relatives and friends. Things could be better.

The cafe is better when it is full of happy customers instead of being cold and dark.

The store next door is better when the cash registers are ringing up sales instead of having a sign on a boarded up window that says "Out of Business."

The downtown company is better when it has chairs full of productive employees instead of a room full of empty seats.

America may be facing a challenge, but we haven't chosen defeat.

We may have fallen, but we haven't given up.

And although we may have fumbled the ball, we haven't quit the game.

We may have millions of people out of work, but there is plenty of work to do.

The question is not whether there is work, the question is will the Federal Government and big companies and the big banks with their big bailouts get out of the way so we can do what needs to be done? We aren't looking for a bailout or a handout, we just need you to get out of the way.

Congress may be as paralyzed and as frozen as a cow patty in a Minnesota winter, but the people are alive and kicking.

We may not agree on what direction we should take, but we do agree that the direction we have been on is wrong.

We may not see eye to eye on everything we must do, but that does not mean we can't stand shoulder to shoulder to do something.

To the outside world, and even to ourselves, it may appear that we are divided, confused and stuck in chaos. It may look like a dirty, grimy mess, but this is America and our history proves to us that this is simply how Americans get things done.

Things don't get done in Washington D.C. or in the halls of Congress or in Times Square or on Wall Street. Things get done over the kitchen table, things get done in cafes and diners, things get done in the hallways and around the water coolers of every great place in America. Things get done where it counts, not in places where high priced lawyers pulling million dollar salaries debate over where to place a comma; things get done in the Mean Streets where we're trying to decide how best to pour the cement.

This is America, we have faced dark times before, we have struggled under recession and depression and near relentless enemies. We have faced famine and flood and natural disaster of every kind. We have seen bridges fail and we have rebuilt them, we have seen levees break and we have reconstructed them, we have experienced tragedy that has brought us to our knees and we have grieved but we didn't stay down. We wept together, we embraced our neighbors, we have helped each other back up, we have pulled together and gotten back to work. We were not down and out, we were getting ready.

We are Americans and this is America. Things may appear dark and bleak right now, it may appear as if we are in the midst of a storm, but better days are coming.

We are Americans, this is America; we are proud and we are strong and we are coming back, bigger, better, bolder, prouder and stronger than ever. We are not bent over under the weight of grief and despair, we are lacing our boots. We are not clenching our fists in hopelessness, we are putting on our gloves. We may be at the bottom of the count, but we are at the top of our game. We may be bruised, bloodied and battered, but like Rocky, we won't quit until we've won!

America is here, we are coming and we are coming out swinging! The world thinks they have us where they want us, but they don't know us; we can't be held back, we don't give up and we don't quit. When things are falling apart, Americans are pulling together; when things seem the darkest, Americans see the coming of dawn; when the rest of the world has given up, Americans are getting ready.

We are Americans, we are coming together to get things done because that's what needs to be done. We may not see eye to eye but we can stand shoulder to shoulder, we are not down and out, we are just getting ready. America is coming, we are coming back big, bold, proud and strong. We are going to be bigger, better and bolder than ever before. We are not down and out, we are on the rebound, and the rest of the world had better step aside because America is stepping up!