Heidi's Blog

Gardening in Iraq

2009-01-04T15:09:00.000-08:00

I just got a call from Cpt Phoebe asking to send a trowel, claw and seeds (first she asked for potting soil, but I'm not sure about that), maybe organic fertilizer if it'll fly with the postal service, to her bf Cpt Mike Flynn. It appears they can't get any fresh fruits or vegetables where they are, and the guys are dying for salad. I am looking into the best stuff to send and a good soil enriching thing to send along with the seeds. Any suggestions?

If you'd like to send Mike some seeds and gardening stuff, here's his address. I will post later what I've sent.

Michael C. Flynn
D/2-12 CAV, 4BCT, 1CD
APO AE 09331

Changes

2007-10-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

Peacethings has a new home with Lisa Ottman of the Dayton International Peace Museum http://www.daytonpeacemuseum.org/. The business is flourishing, and I am so happy! It's been like raising up a child and sending her off to college, and she's on the dean's list.

New blogging coming soon.

2007-01-20T06:37:00.000-08:00

Peacethings for sale! $1000 buys the whole shebang. Domain, store, merchandise, and all of the good work that went into creating a valuable online presence. #1 w/ search engines for "peace clothing", "peace caps" "peace sign clothing" and great potential for the right owner.

Meantime, everything is on sale at peacethings.com.

Send Holiday Love and Support to Deployed Troops

2006-11-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

Use the links below as resources for sending holiday cheer to those who won't be able to be home for the holidays. Let us know what you did by posting a comment here.

http://www.operationac.com
Frankie Mayo (no relation) started out sending air
conditioners to troops in Iraq, and her program has grown
into an elegant system for adopting soldiers.

FREE STUFF!

Many of these links are for deployed soldiers and families. These links have been run through ACS, JAG and MWR, and all appear legit. If you adopt a soldier make sure he or she knows about these links.

http://www.operationhomelink.org - Free computers for spouses or parents of deployed soldier in ranks E1 - E5.

https://www.operationuplink.org - Free phone cards.

http://anysoldier.com/ForSoldiersOnly.cfm - To sign up for sponsoring soldier care packages for theater.

http://www.operationshoebox.com - free shoebox care package.

http://www.treatthetroops.org -free cookies.

http://bluestarmoms.org/airfare.html - lowest airfare available.

http://bluestarmoms.org/care.html - free care packages.

http://www.heromiles.org - free air travel for Emergency Leave, and for the family members of injured soldiers to travel to Medical facility.

http://www.bluestarmothers.org/airlinespecials.php - Airline discounts for R & R.

http://www.booksforsoldiers.com/forum/index.php - free books, DVD's, CD's.

http://www.militarymoms.net/sot.html free care packages (your family member signs up to have sent to you).

http://operationmilitarypride.org/smsignup.html - free care packages.

http://www.soldiersangels.org/heroes/submit_a_soldier.php - get adopted to receive stuff.

https://www.treatsfortroops.com/registration/index.php - free gifts and care packages.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/n11232004_2004112312 - free shipping/packing materials for shipping to troops.

My Soldier is Home!

2006-09-10T11:11:00.001-07:00

So, it's been nearly a year since my daughter was deployed to Iraq. And yesterday she returned safely home to Ft. Hood, TX. But the army won't tell her what her next company will be. One returns to Iraq in 6 months; the others, not for two years. Is that any way to treat someone who has just served so well?

2006-09-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

Three Years

2006-03-18T11:50:00.000-08:00

Plymouth Peace Vigil, March 18, 2006
Three years have passed since the war began; three years too many.
If you haven't yet, join the Peace Alliance and start making a difference in the way our government works.

Deployment ain't funny

2006-01-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

This from Military Families Speak Out for Peace.

Below is an article that appeared this morning in USA Today -- titled "Pentagon to families: Go ahead, laugh" -- about a Pentagon training program for National Guard families. It was sent to us by a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War -- an outraged Massachusetts National Guard soldier recently returned from Iraq, whose wife and two children are long-time members of MFSO. The article says that the Pentagon thinks the appropriate response of National Guard families to the stress of the war in Iraq is to walk like penguins, waddling and flapping our hands like fins --and tells about the Pentagon's training program to help families learn to do this.

If you would like to write a response to this article in the form of a Letter to the Editor, you can email it to: editor@usatoday.com or fax it to 703-854-2053. USA Today states that Letters to the Editor have a greater chance of being printed if they are 250 words or less. If you do send a letter, please email a copy to Military Families Speak Out at mfso@mfso.org Thank you.

We believe that "When the stress of the war in Iraq becomes too severe" (a direct quote from the article below) -- we need to come together -- in our communities and across the country -- support each other through all we are going through, and raise the demand louder and stronger than ever: "Bring 'em home now, and take care of them when they get here!"

In Peace and Solidarity, and not laughing here,
Nancy Lessin and Charley Richardson
for Military Families Speak Out
www.mfso.org
www.bringthemhomenow.org

Pentagon to families: Go ahead, laugh
By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY January 13, 2006

When the stress of the war in Iraq becomes too severe, the Pentagon has a suggestion for military families: Learn how to laugh.

With help from the Pentagon's chief laughter instructor, families of National Guard members are learning to walk like a penguin, laugh like a lion and blurt "ha, ha, hee, hee and ho, ho."

No joke.

"I laugh every chance I get," says the instructor, retired Army colonel James "Scotty" Scott. "That's why I'm blessed to be at the Pentagon, where we definitely need a lot of laughter in our lives."

Scott, 57, is certified as a laughter training specialist by the Ohio-based World Laughter Tour, a group that promotes mirth as medicine. It touts scientific research that suggests chuckling can boost the body's immune system and decrease stress hormones.

A Pentagon spokeswoman, Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, says the Pentagon is committed to the program and values Scott's skills. "We sent him to the training," she says.

The laughter program was Scott's idea. It costs the military virtually nothing, because Scott already travels to states as a director of military family support policy.
KEEPING THEM IN STITCHES
Ways military families are being taught to laugh:

Penguin exercise: Waddle and flap hands as though they're fins.

Lion laugh: Open eyes and mouth wide while repeating "ha ha's."

Repeat "ho, ho, ha, ha, ha," while clapping on each sound.

He has taught National Guard family group leaders in Alaska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Idaho, and will do so in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Florida, he says. Another laughter trainer is working with folks in North Carolina.

"We believe our program prevents hardening of the attitudes," says Scott, in one of his wordplay aphorisms that beg for a rimshot. The founder and chief executive of the World Laughter Tour is psychologist Steve Wilson, who calls himself "Cheerman of the Bored."

"The guiding principle is to laugh for no reason. And that's one of the reasons it works so well for military families," Scott says. "There's a lot they have to be stressed over, a lot of worries, a lot of concerns."

As foolish as students might feel, Scott says he's lost only one participant: a Marine sergeant major who, Scott says, fled the room with a bad case of the giggles.

Mary Frances Booth, the wife of a retired soldier, took the class last year and is an ardent devotee.

She and her two daughters — Meaghan, 10 and Sarah, 8 — were sobbing after Booth dropped her husband at the Boise airport Sunday; he was headed for Afghanistan for work as a civilian contractor, she says. Then Booth called for one of the laughing drills.

"They rolled their eyes at me and thought, 'Mom's on her laughing thing again,' " Booth says. "(But) it made it a little bit better."

MLK and Namaste

2006-01-16T07:02:00.000-08:00

A few prime quotes. If you haven't seen the HBO documentary about Rosa Parks, I recommend it. It amazes me that I have lived in a time where black people in the south were not allowed an education. I am even more amazed to see that our country is more intent on forcing "democracy" on other countries when our corpocracy refuses to use its resources to educate its own people. Having studied Civil Rights in college it always irks me when people speak of the welfare state in our country, like it's a political party thing. The fact is, when we see uneducated, dependent people such as Katrina's victims, unable to fend for themselves, it's a direct result of the slave culture, and has nothing to do with democrats or republicans. Fact is, the economy depended upon keeping the labor force down south uneduated and dependent when slavery was abolished. That legacy still haunts us today. All we need to do is make education of ALL people top priority, and they'll be able to take care of themselves.

Okay, so here are a few choice quotes for this day.

That's all nonviolence is - organized love. (Joan Baez )

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal. (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends. (Abraham Lincoln)

In India when we meet and part we often say, "Namaste," which means: I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides; I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides; I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace. I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us�.. "Namaste." (Ram Dass)

Namaste to you!

2006-01-13T10:53:00.000-08:00

So busy with the holidays for soldiers and all, I haven't had a chance to write here or update peacethings. A report on our efforts is coming soon. Stay tuned.

Meantime, I continue to attend the weekly silent vigil, display my flag, keep my candle burning...
Visit the vigil blog here: Plymout Vigil

Sponsor a Soldier for the Holidays - PeaceThings Newsletter #6

2005-11-02T05:53:00.000-08:00

PeaceMatters Newsletter - November, 2005

It's that time of year again - Gifts & Cookies for Soldiers

Many young people won't be home for the holidays, so PeaceThings will be helping to send holiday joy to them. My daughter, CPT Phoebe Price will be at Al Taji Military Base in Iraq for the next year, and she will provide us with the names, addresses and wish lists of up to 400 soldiers who would love to receive holiday treats from home.
This is our fourth year doing this, and it’s been a great success. Each sponsor sends gifts, cards and baked goods to one or more soldiers. We encourage individuals, classrooms, families, groups, and organizations to sponsor soldiers. We will provide you with addresses, deadlines, mailing instructions, and gift suggestions. If you would like to share some holiday cheer with those unable to be home, please email soldiers@peacethings.com and let us know how many soldiers you will sponsor.

Holiday Shopping at PEACETHINGS

Peace Baby! Natural organic all cotton baby stuff, embroidered here at PeaceThings for your peace baby. Makes a great gift!

Peace Caps - All cotton, six panel baseball caps with a soft, low-fitting crown and adjustable strap. Embroidered with a bold peace symbol front and center.

Books for Peace - Help support PeaceThings; buy books at Amazon through PeaceThings' portal.

Featured Links:

WAND - Women's Action for New Directions empowers women to act politically to reduce violence and militarism, and redirect excessive military resources toward unmet human and environmental needs.

Peace Action - Ordinary people changing the world

Department of Peace - Participate in an historic citizen lobbying effort to create a U.S. Department of Peace.

Our friends at www.Muzility.com are offering soldiers and their families/friends an opportunity to share experiences through video on the Internet. It's a service similar to those online photo services, but video. Muzility will take videos up to an hour long and post them on their website for $4.95 each month for up to 4 months and $10 a month thereafter. Access to the video is controlled by the person who submits it, and the video is accessed by means of a unique address that they can make available to whomever they want. To take advantage of this offer, go to www.Muzility.com and when you submit your video note that you want to take advantage of the Special Peacethings discount. A nice way to keep in touch.

If you are happy to receive this newsletter, please pass it on to your friends. Pardon double mailings to those who are both customers and sponsors. Be assured that we respect your privacy and would never share our list with others.

If this has reached you by mistake, please respond to this email with NO in the subject line and your address will be removed. Please send questions or comments about PeaceMatters to info@peacethings.com.

Thanks, and Happy, Peaceful Holidays!

Heidi Mayo, PeaceThings owner

the little vigil has big impact

2005-10-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended our little vigil in Plymouth center, and across the street there was a small but raucous group of "counter protesters" with "Honk if you Support the Troops" and "USA USA USA" on their signs. The funniest thing about all of this is that we agree with them, we support the troops - they are our national treasure. We send them gifts at Christmastime, and we do everything we can to support them. It's their boss we don't agree with. It was hard to hold silence when this mother yelled that her son was in Iraq. The discussion would go like this, "You want peace, don't you? Doesn't everyone?" On this we can all agree.

moral values

2005-10-04T04:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Phoebe took off to Iraq from Kuwait. It's a mother's nightmare. Even though I do not subscribe to religion at all, this essay is truly from the heart, and it touches on the hypocrisy that we all find so frustrating about this administration.

What Are Moral Values?
by Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers
Mayflower Church, Oklahoma City
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As some of you know, I am minister of Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City, a church in northwest Oklahoma City, and professor of Rhetoric at Oklahoma City University. But you would most likely have encountered me on the pages of the Oklahoma Gazette, where I have been a columnist for six years, and hold the record for the most number of angry letters to the editor. Tonight, I join ranks of those who are angry, because I have watched as the faith I love has been taken over by those who claim to speak for Jesus, but whose actions are anything but Christian.

We've heard a lot lately about so-called "moral values" as having swung the election to President Bush. Well, I'm a great believer in moral values, but we need to have a discussion, all over this country, about exactly what constitutes a moral value -- I mean what are we talking about? Because we don't get to make them up as we go along, especially not if we are people of faith. We have an inherited tradition of what is right and wrong, and moral is as moral does. Let me give you just a few of the reasons why I take issue with those in power who claim moral values are on their side:

When you start a war on false pretenses, and then act as if your deceptions are justified because you are doing God's will, and that your critics are either unpatriotic or lacking in faith, there are some of us who have given our lives to teaching and preaching the faith who believe that this is not only not moral, but immoral.

When you live in a country that has established international rules for waging a just war, build the United Nations on your own soil to enforce them, and then arrogantly break the very rules you set down for the rest of the world, you are doing something immoral.

When you claim that Jesus is the Lord of your life, and yet fail to acknowledge that your policies ignore his essential teaching, or turn them on their head (you know, Sermon on the Mount stuff like that we must never return violence for violence and that those who live by the sword will die by the sword), you are doing something immoral.

When you act as if the lives of Iraqi civilians are not as important as the lives of American soldiers, and refuse to even count them, you are doing something immoral.

When you find a way to avoid combat in Vietnam, and then question the patriotism of someone who volunteered to fight, and came home a hero, you are doing something immoral.

When you ignore the fundamental teachings of the gospel, which says that the way the strong treat the weak is the ultimate ethical test, by giving tax breaks to the wealthiest among us so the strong will get stronger and the weak will get weaker, you are doing something immoral.

When you wink at the torture of prisoners, and deprive so-called "enemy combatants" of the rules of the Geneva Conventions, which your own country helped to establish and insists that other countries follow, you are doing something immoral.

When you claim that the world can be divided up into the good guys and the evil doers, slice up your own nation into those who are with you, or with the terrorists -- and then launch a war which enriches your own friends and seizes control of the oil to which we are addicted, instead of helping us to kick the habit, you are doing something immoral.

When you fail to veto a single spending bill, but ask us to pay for a war with no exit strategy and no end in sight, creating an enormous deficit that hangs like a great millstone around the necks of our children, you are doing something immoral.

When you cause most of the rest of the world to hate a country that was once the most loved country in the world, and act like it doesn't matter what others think of us, only what God thinks of you, you have done something immoral.

When you use hatred of homosexuals as a wedge issue to turn out record numbers of evangelical voters, and use the Constitution as a tool of discrimination, you are doing something immoral.

When you favor the death penalty, and yet claim to be a follower of Jesus, who said an eye for an eye was the old way, not the way of the kingdom, you are doing something immoral.

When you dismantle countless environmental laws designed to protect the earth which is God's gift to us all, so that the corporations that bought you and paid for your favors will make higher profits while our children breathe dirty air and live in a toxic world, you have done something immoral. The earth belongs to the Lord, not Halliburton.

When you claim that our God is bigger than their God, and that our killing is righteous, while theirs is evil, we have begun to resemble the enemy we claim to be fighting, and that is immoral. We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us.

When you tell people that you intend to run and govern as a "compassionate conservative," using the word which is the essence of all religious faith -- compassion, and then show no compassion for anyone who disagrees with you, and no patience with those who cry to you for help, you are doing something immoral.

When you talk about Jesus constantly, who was a healer of the sick, but do nothing to make sure that anyone who is sick can go to see a doctor, even if she doesn't have a penny in her pocket, you are doing something immoral.

When you put judges on the bench who are racist, and will set women back a hundred years, and when you surround yourself with preachers who say gays ought to be killed, you are doing something immoral.

I'm tired of people thinking that because I'm a Christian, I must be a supporter of President Bush, or that because I favor civil rights and gay rights I must not be a person of faith. I'm tired of people saying that I can't support the troops but oppose the war.

I heard that when I was your age, when the Vietnam war was raging. We knew that that war was wrong, and you know that this war is wrong -- the only question is how many people are going to die before these make-believe Christians are removed from power?

This country is bankrupt. The war is morally bankrupt. The claim of this administration to be Christian is bankrupt. And the only people who can turn things around are people like you--young people who are just beginning to wake up to what is happening to them. It's your country to take back. It's your faith to take back. It's your future to take back.

Don't be afraid to speak out. Don't back down when your friends begin to tell you that the cause is righteous and that the flag should be wrapped around the cross, while the rest of us keep our mouths shut. Real Christians take chances for peace. So do real Jews, and real Muslims, and real Hindus, and real Buddhists--so do all the faith traditions of the world at their heart believe one thing: life is precious. Every human being is precious. Arrogance is the opposite of faith. Greed is the opposite of charity. And believing that one has never made a mistake is the mark of a deluded man, not a man of faith. And war -- war is the greatest failure of the human race -- and thus the greatest failure of faith.

There's an old rock and roll song, whose lyrics say it all: War, what is it good for? absolutely nothing. And what is the dream of the prophets? That we should study war no more, that we should beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. Who would Jesus bomb, indeed?

How many wars does it take to know that too many people have died? What if they gave a war and nobody came? Maybe one day we will find out.

Time to march again my friends. Time to commit acts of civil disobedience. Time to sing, and to pray, and refuse to participate in the madness.
http://www.mayflowerucc.org/

Another baby step

2005-09-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

Today I listed the Plymouth Peace Vigil with United for Peace & Justice, so anyone looking of a local vigil will find us. I also sold some peacethings and gave away more buttons.

harvest festival

2005-09-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I sold Peace Things at the Plymouth Farmers' Market Harvest festival. I gave away a lot of peace buttons. I signed a petition to restore our national guard to the homeland. Sheesh. This, when Jim's frined Billy who is 53 years old is getting sent to Iraq w/ the guard. Fifty-three! And meanwhile Mother Nature is screaming with hurricanes, saying, Get back here and take care of your own!

the vigil

2005-09-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made a sign to carry and incorporated the flag below - Military Families speak out for PEACE. I joined our little vigil in Plymouth Center last night with my candle and sign. I gave each attendee a peace button.

Today I am having a Peace Things tent at the Plymouth Farmer's Market's Harvest Folk festival.

or maybe like this

2005-09-21T04:43:00.000-07:00

flag flying

2005-09-20T05:37:00.000-07:00

I ordered a blue star banner to which I will applique a peace symbol. It will look something like this:

peace of mind

2005-09-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Today I took a run, and meditated while stretching, acknowledging the peace on the beach - the soft, lapping waves, the gentle breeze, the earth beneath my feet, the white white clouds in the blue sunny sky, and this is my mantra: May Peace Prevail on this Planet, and let me be an instrument of that peace.

I also gave a way a bunch of peace buttons.

Baby Steps To Peace

2005-09-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

As Cpt. Phoebe heads to Kuwait tomorrow on her way to Al-Taji airbase a mere 20 miles from Baghdad, I have decided that, to honor her, I will take one small action every day to help create a culture of peace. I'll be using this blog to log my actions.

Today I wrote a letter to Rep Delahunt in support of creating a US Department of Peace. This is what I said:
I urge you to support the establishment of a United States Department of Peace. We need a Secretary of Peace in the President's cabinet. As my daughter, Cpt. Phoebe Price heads for Kuwait on her way to Al-Taji airbase tomorrow as forward support for the 4th Infantry, I am knowing that this war did not need to happen. A Department of Peace can shift the paradigm of our government, and as Hurricane Katrina showed, keep us safer and stronger here at home. Please support this effort, and help America start to build a culture of peace.
(signature)

You can write your congress people, too. Go here: http://www.thepeacealliance.org/main.htm or just write in support of Bill #HR 3760, or call them up. You can find their contact info here: http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Moms for Peace

2005-08-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

Cindy still sits. Bush still vacations.

Thousands of activists all over the country participated in vigils last night in support of Cindy.
She has invited the president to join her to pray for the troops tomiorrow at noon. I wonder if he'll show, since it might be bad PR if he doesn't join her.

http://www.meetwithcindy.org/

Write to Laura Bush
Today, women who have been sitting with Cindy Sheehan will be writing and attempting to hand-deliver letters to Laura Bush. As part of a woman-to-woman, mother-to-mother appeal, Cindy's supporters will ask the First Lady to urge her husband to take time from his vacation to answer the questions of a grieving mother. Cindy's supporters, led by her sister Dede Miller, will then conduct a three-mile march from Camp Casey to the gate of George Bush's ranch. Join them by writing a letter to Laura Bush that will be delivered by the marchers.

Cindy Sheehan

2005-08-11T06:28:00.000-07:00

Cindy Sheehan sits outside Bush's ranch while he vacations. She's waiting for answers. On April 4th last year, her son Casey died in Iraq. Cindy says that she won't leave until President Bush meets with her to discuss the war. She may be sitting there for a long time. I may have to join her. I always wonder what Bush would have done if his daughters were in the miltary; maybe history would have been different.

Cindy needs your support. Here are a few links to learn more and help support families who have lost loved ones to this stupid war.

Gold Star Families for Peace: http://www.gsfp.org/

MoveOn: http://political.moveon.org/meetwithcindy

Join Diane Wilson's fast along with Code Pink: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/codepink/signUp.jsp?key=530

Military Families for Peace: http://www.mfso.org/

Get Utne Magazine at half price!

2005-07-01T05:39:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce
that PeaceThings has become an Utne affiliate. If you
are not familiar with Utne Reader, this is your chance to
subscribe at half-price! I've been reading Utne
Reader for about 20 years now, and describe it as the Smart
Readers' Digest of Alternative Media.

Department of Peace Conference

2005-06-29T14:03:00.000-07:00

Make sense. Make peace. Make history. Start building a culture of peace.
Department of Peace Conference in Washington, D.C. Sept 10-13th, 2005
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/events/sept_conf_05.htm
Lots of great speakers including Walter Cronkite and Dennis Kucinich!

Impeach Bush

2005-06-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

I usually try to keep my peace business non-political, but Bush has just gone too far.

My daughter was in Afghanistan when my country attacked Iraq. That's why I started PeaceThings - so I could turn my despairing energy into something productive. Now, my beautiful daughter is headed for Iraq in September. Knowing how this administration lied to get this war underway, how our budget resources have been plundered, how our true security is being ignored; just how wrong this focus is, I offer you resources to get the impeacment ball rolling. Heck, all Clinton did was tell a little lie about a blowjob. Bush has told huge lies that have cost the lives of many people, not just soldiers, men, women and children who just happened to be in Iraq doing their jobs and living their lives. And then there's that religious business. I'd have him impeached on that count alone. The fact that he's trying to get our constitution amended so that gay people aren't considered equal and not allowed to enjoy the same rights as straight couples. And then there's that business of checks and balances he's trying to relieve the administraion of having to participate in - nuclear option, eh? The reasons are too many to list here. So, go to these sites and sign on to impeach the jerk who would have my daughter killed like a pawn in his stupid game of Gimme.

http://www.votetoimpeach.org/
http://www.impeachbush.tv/
http://www.impeach-bush-now.org/
http://www.petitiononline.com/ddc12/petition.html
http://zzpat.tripod.com/cvb/
http://www.counterpunch.org/boyle01172003.html
impeach bush

The Way It Is

2005-05-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

The Democrats' mistake was in thinking that a disastrous war, national
bankruptcy, erosion of liberties, corporate takeover of government,
environmental destruction, squandering our economic and moral
leadership in the world, and systematic Administration lying would be of concern to the electorate.

The Republicans correctly saw that the chief concern of the electorate
was to keep gay couples from having an abortion.

On Sharing

2005-04-19T05:31:00.000-07:00

It was our belief that the love of possessions is a weakness to be
overcome.

Its appeal is to the material part, and if allowed its way, it will
in time disturb one's spiritual balance.

Therefore, children must early learn the beauty of generosity.

They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the
happiness of giving.

If a child is inclined to be grasping, or to cling to any of his or
her little possessions, legends are related about contempt and
disgrace falling upon the ungenerous and mean person ...

The Indians in their simplicity literally give away all that they
have - to relatives, to guests of other tribes or clans, but above
all to the poor and the aged, from whom they can hope for no return.

Charles Alexander Eastman (Ohiyesa)

O Birther

2005-04-11T05:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a new twist on an old standard.

O Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos,
focus your light within us. Create your reign of unity now.
Your one desire then acts with ours,
as in all light, so in all forms.
Grant what we need each day in bread and insight.
Loose the cord of mistakes binding us,
as we release the strands we hold of others' guilt.
Don't let surface things delude us,
but free us from what holds us back.
From You is born all ruling will, the power and the life to do,
the song that beautifies all, from age to age it renews.
Truly - power to these statements - may they be the ground
from which all our actions grow.
So be it.

Power of Now - Power vs Force

2005-04-05T05:08:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read these two books, I highly recommend them. The value of the two of them combined is exponential to each separate work.
PeaceThing's Amazon portal is the way to go:
Find some great books and tapes here.

Here's a powerful quote from Eckhart Tolle:

"Wisdom is not a product of thought. The deep “knowing” that is wisdom arises through the simple act of giving someone or something your full attention. Attention is primordial intelligence, consciousness itself. It dissolves the barriers created by conceptual thought, and with this comes the recognition that nothing exists in and by itself. It joins the perceiver and the perceived in a unifying field of awareness. It is the healer of separation. "

Love & Power

2005-03-25T06:09:00.000-08:00

When the power of love
overcomes the love of power
the world will know peace.

(Jimi Hendrix)

Buy your books through PeaceThings

2005-03-24T14:06:00.000-08:00

You can help peacething site stay alive if you always go through our portal to amazon.
Get in the habit. There's a portal at the bottom of the books pages.
http://www.peacethings.com/books.html

The 4 Agreements

2005-03-22T06:11:00.000-08:00

Wise words from Don Miguel Ruiz

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
(My comment: Words are the basis of alchemy; they are the foundation of morphogenetics - change the words you say, change everything. Or, as Wayne Dyer said - change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change)

DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
(My comment: Judging or condemning another does nothing to change or improve the judged; it merely defines you as one who needs to judge.)

DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
(My comment: Worrying about something that may never happen is like paying interest on a loan you'll never take - it is an unnecessary depletion of resources.)

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret. (Mycomment: and sometimes your best is learning to relax and surrender to the flow of creation, to allow yourself to be fulfilled...)

I Saw Goodness Getting Drunk

2005-03-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

A poem by Rumi for your pleasure

I Saw Goodness Getting Drunk

I am gone,
lost any sense of wanting the wine
of the nowhereness ask me,
I don't know where I am.
At times I plunge
to the bottom of the sea,
at times, rise up
like the Sun.

At times, the universe is pregnant by me,
at times I give birth to it.
The milestone in my life
is the nowhereness,
I don't fit anywhere else.
This is me:
a rogue and a drunkard,
easy to spot
in the tavern of Lovers.
I am the one shouting hey ha.

They ask me why I don't
behave myself.
I say, when you
reveal your true nature,
then I will act my age.

Last night, I saw Goodness getting drunk.
He growled and said,
I am a nuisance, a nuisance.
A hundred souls cried out, but
we are yours, we are yours, we are yours.
You are the light
that spoke to Moses and said
I am God, I am God, I am God.
I said Shams-e Tabrizi, who are you?
He said, I am you, I am you, I am you.

(RUMI)

Today's quote

2005-03-16T05:13:00.000-08:00

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned.
(Buddha)

Ides of March

2005-03-15T06:55:00.000-08:00

Peace Things Newsletter - March 20 for Peace

It's that time of year again. Happy Spring, and Happy Speaking Up!

7 WAYS TO SPEAK UP FOR PEACE
* Wear PeaceThings everyday

* Sign online petitions

* Write letters to the editor of your local papers

* Support organizations that support peace

* Join peaceful demonstrations

* Forward this email to your peace-loving friends

* Fly a peace flag, sport a bumper sticker

It's been two years now since the war in Iraq began. At this writing the cost is $156,200,000,000 of American tax dollars, and rising. To see more details, visit http://costofwar.com/ In the next few weeks Congress is going to be asked to cough up another $82,000,000,000 (82 billion) to continue the occupation. Find out how this administration's budget affects your community, education, health care, world hunger, AIDs, etc. Visit http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar/index.html and speak up for peace. We know how forceful media spin can be, and we know what controls the media. A vocal America is a healthy America.

Helpful links for speaking up and taking action:
*One click will email your all of your members of Congress at http://www.usalone.com/iraq.htm

*Find addresses for your senators and congressmen here: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress /

*Helpful hints on letter writing: http://www.votenowar.org/

UPDATE! THANK YOU everyone who donated to the PeaceThings' Cyber Team for UNICEF Tsunami Crisis Relief. We have exceeded our goal, and with checks and donations raised $1,472.30. Our online total doesn't show this because it seems processing checks takes a long time. But the checks have been sent.

Basic Peace Tees on sale at Peace Things
1 for $10.
2 for $16.00
3 for $20.00
http://store.peacethings.com/meunpete.html

Please send questions or comments about PeaceMatters to friends@peacethings.com.

March 20 - war and peacethings

2005-03-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that PeaceThings is about to become two years old, as is the war in Iraq. How long will this draining of resources continue? As our schools and public services, health care and the environment take a back seat to forcing our ideals on others, we need to take a look at our country's foriegn policy. Who, really, is benefitting from this war venture?

peace through prosperity

2005-02-27T13:39:00.000-08:00

No matter how big a nation is, it is no stronger that its weakest people, and as long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you might otherwise.
(Marian Anderson)

Immunics

2005-02-25T05:22:00.000-08:00

I have just recently started practicing "immunics." I started reading Power vs Force by David Hawkins, and began doing self-kinesiology. When I was looking around the internet to experiment on thebest way to do this, I stumbled across www.immunics.org . The basis of immunics is that we all have the power through kinesiology to remove pathology and install good health.

Being a big believer in accepting what is; I can wrap my arms around immunics with the knowledge that I am not fighting against anything - I am creating choices where I didn't think I had them before.

If you haven't read Power vs Force, http://www.peacethings.com/books.html - buy it through my portal to help support peacethings. Then go visit www.immuncs.org.

Just for the sake of it

2005-02-22T05:16:00.000-08:00

A few quotes for peace this morning:

Dalai Lama, Associated Press, 5/14/01
It is essential to know that to be a happy person, a happy family, a happy society, it is very crucial to have a good heart, that is very crucial. World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just the absence of violence but the manifestation of human compassion.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.

Benjamin Franklin
There never was a good war, or a bad peace.

Peace Things Winter Doldrums Newsletter

2005-02-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

PeaceMatters Newsletter - February, 2005

PeaceThings' Cyber Team for UNICEF's Tsunami Crisis Relief Fund has nearly reached its goal of $1,000. We've raised $850.00 so far, and would love to exceed our goal. Every little bit helps, so please donate if you can.
http://www.unicefusa.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&i=91105&u=91105-66434222
Thanks so much to all who have helped!

Our Holiday Gifts & Cookies for Soldiers effort was a fabulous success this year. We had over 50 sponsors, groups, families, and individuals sending gifts and goodies to over 80 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of the sponsors were thrilled to recieve messages of appreciation from their soldiers. Many Thanks to all who participated.

Special Winter Doldrums Sale on Unisex Peace Tees:
1 for $10.
2 for $16.00
3 for $20.00 at http://store.peacethings.com/meunpete.html
Get them while they last!

Need the perfect gift? Send a Womani Doll to someone you love.

We've got to pay for our embroidery machine. So, check out our embroidered Peace Baby stuff and Peace Caps. If we don't have what you want, pop us an email and we'll make it for you.

Featured Links:
Give the world and yourself a special valentine by joining The Anchoring the Vibration of Love holographic repatterning proxy group offered by http://www.megaHRgroups.com.

Bruderhof Peacemakers Guide was created to inspire and empower you to work for peace, and to arm you with living proof of the power of nonviolence to effect change and resolve conflicts. http://www.peacemakersguide.org/

Speak Up! "The Pen" People's Email Network gives you an avenue to more effectively communicate with your legislative representatives. http://www.thepen.us/index.html

Please send questions or comments about PeaceMatters to heidi@peacethings.com.

fascist america

2005-02-11T07:35:00.000-08:00

Here is one powerful piece of multimedia:
http://www.bushflash.com/14.html

stupid nation - try real education

2005-02-08T15:16:00.000-08:00

I wrote this right after the election, but sadly, I can post it here now.

Well, I hate to say it but america gets what it deserves - again...
Point of fact is the average intelligence of your basic american voter is that of a 6th grader, so it's no wonder the election turned out the way it did. Unfortunately, as the nation becomes stupider, the populace is that much more prone to blindly following the type of "leader" Bush is. And as our nation's resources get spent elsewhere, the health and education of americans take the back seat, so we become even stupider yet. A big part of me gets non-dualistic about it; does it really matter? Would Kerry have been any better? Our choices were so limited.

So, I'm doing my best to stay present with this. Women's reproductive rights, energy policy, equal rights, education, worldwide and domestic environmental policy, stem cell research, international diplomacy, international criminal court, united nations, health care, separation of church and state, free speech...
No matter.

This is where I resort to non-dualistic thinking, and one of my favorite quotes:

Outside the ideas of rightdoing and wrongdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. (Rumi)

groundhog day & the state of the union

2005-02-07T06:10:00.000-08:00

Groundhog Day and the State of the Union Address.
We have Groundhog Day and the State of the Union Address.
As Air America Radio pointed out, it is an ironic juxtaposition: one
involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little
intelligence for prognostication and the other involves a groundhog.

No such thing as a good war

2005-02-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

John Kaminski wrote a very interesting article about Why 'The Good War'Wasn't So Good.
Although I disagree with his statement that "the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001 were conceived, engineered and then covered up by the powers that be in Washington, D.C. ..." I do agree that the dysfunctional way our government and society work can only lead to 9-11 style events, and the co-dependent enabling, using and exploitation, forcing "freedom" on others can't serve us as a country or society. Give it a read. I invite your comments here.

antiwar slogans

2005-01-25T13:21:00.000-08:00

This one came in the email today.
Some of the humorous antiwar slogans that have appeared on buttons and signs at recent antiwar protests:
These colors don't run the world.
One nation under surveillance.
How did our oil get under their sand?
Go Solar, not Ballistic.
Who Would Jesus Bomb?
Start Drafting SUV Drivers Now.
It's NUCLEAR, not NUCULAR, you idiot!
Resistance is Fertile.
(UFW sign) Pick Fruit, not Fights.
(On a five year old) More Candy, Less War.
Say can you see my democracy?
(With pictures of Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld) Asses of Evil.
It's the oil, stupid.
War is expensive, Peace is priceless.
Read between the Pipelines.
No More BuSh.
Smart weapons, Dumb president.
The only thing we have to fear is Bush himself.
How many Lives per Gallon?
Peace Takes Brains.
Anything war can do, peace can do better.
Negotiation Not Annihilation.
Another patriot for peace.
Oh Say can You Cease?
Star Spangled Bummer.
Don't Arm a Son of a Bush.
Don't do it George, Dad will still love you.
Power to the Peaceful.
The last time we listened to a Bush, we wandered in the desert for 40
years.

Why Peace Things?

2005-01-19T04:11:00.000-08:00

Peace Things Headquarters

I created PeaceThings to give myself and others a "visual voice" for peace every day. On March 20, 2003 I had to face the facts: All of my letter-writing and speaking up, voting, supporting the UN, donating, signing petitions, meditating and candle-lighting had been in vain. I was disheartened, but I wasn't giving up. I suddenly needed a peace flag to display next to the Stars & Stripes in front of my house. I needed shirts and buttons to wear every day. I had to make ongoing non-political statements for peace in order to shed these feelings of powerlessness and grief. With my daughter in the military, I needed to create a way to support worldwide peace initiatives and donate to educational and humanitarian agencies. In a frenzy, I got flags and tee-shirts printed up and created the PeaceThings website. Then I went into the world of e-commerce, creating the store and Peace stuff to sell. To make a long story short, I designed, bought, and made all of this stuff, and now I have to sell it all in order to pay for it and PeaceThings' operations and charitable contributions.

My daughter was in Afghanistan when we attacked Iraq. Since then she spent a year in Honduras keeping the world safe for cheap fruit, coffee and sweatshop goods... It is amazing what our government does to support this nasty economy of over consumption. Her latest orders send her to Fort Hood, Texas, and then next summer to Iraq for a year. Things can change between now and next summer. Being the parent of a soldier makes practicing the Power of Now a necessity.

Please help PeaceThings support UNICEF's relief efforts in South Asia

2005-01-16T06:55:00.000-08:00

I just created The PeaceThings' Cyber Team for UNICEFs Tsunami Relief Fund, and I'm recruiting! :) PLEASE JOIN US to support UNICEF's relief efforts.
You can go to www.peacethings.com and click the link on the homepage, or go straight from here to Our Team Page at UNICEF I'm committed to raising at least $1,000. so any small amount will be deeply appreciated.

UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, needs to raise $145 million in order to provide urgent humanitarian aid for the estimated 1.5 million children affected by the crisis in South Asia, many of whom have been orphaned or separated from their families and are in critical need of basic care and support. UNICEF has estimated that children account for more than one-third of tsunami deaths.

Any gift you make will enable UNICEF to deliver emergency assistance including medicines, oral rehydration salts to prevent diarrheal dehydration, high-protein biscuits to prevent malnutrition, basic shelter materials for displaced families, water purification tablets, clothing and blankets.

Just $5 can provide an emergency health kit for one person for three months, with medical supplies and drugs to cover basic health needs.
$87 can provide a basic family water kit for ten households, with detergent, soap, wash basin, towels, bucket and water purification tablets.
$188 can provide one "School-in-a-Box" kit containing education supplies for 80 children during times of crisis.

UNICEF's dedication and tireless efforts to assure the survival of those affected by this natural disaster are unwaivering. I am proud to support their lifesaving programs at this most crucial time. Please join me and make a donation today.
Donate Now! http://www.unicefusa.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&i=91105&u=91105-66434222
Thanks

service opportunity

2005-01-14T04:10:00.000-08:00

Going to War with the Clothing We Have

The following request for clothing and stuff is still in effect.

The Civil Air Patrol at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany is making a plea for help for wounded US soldiers sent there. The original letter is quoted below in full. Note that getting things all the way to Ramstein requires more postage than the APO address might suggest. I know the first reaction of most people when they read this message will be to be angry at political figures. But first send money, then be mad. By the way, this sort of treatment of US troops is common, even though they are all that stand between us and forces such as al-Qaeda. The grunts who do the heavy lifting aren't actually paid anything. The allowance given them to move from one base to another often doesn't cover their expenses. The Bush administration is even trying to take away Vets' lifetime health benefits. Tens of thousands of badly wounded US veterans are likely to be produced by the current round of wars, and some proportion of them will end up homeless.

From: Lori Noyes
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 12:28 AM
Subject: Request for Help for our wounded troops at LRMC

Dear CAP Friends:
I am writing is to tell you about a project the Ramstein Cadet Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is starting. The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) here in Germany got an influx of about 500 wounded troops from Iraq last week and more arrive almost daily. They arrive straight from the battlefield, with only the torn, dirty, bloody clothes on their back. They have no clothes, underwear, or toiletry items. The hospital provides them with only a cotton gown or pajamas, robe, and disposable slippers. Some stay only a few days before being sent to hospitals stateside, while others are here up to several weeks. The military gives them a $250 voucher to buy clothing and toiletries at the BX, but many are not ambulatory, and those who are have to wait for a bus to get down to the BX on Ramstein 7 miles away. The BX runs out of the clothing and it takes weeks for more to come in. Those who can go to the BX still need something to wear to get there!

The cadets are collecting new clothing and toiletries to that they can take to the wounded at LRMC. Below is a list of items the wounded need. It is cold here in Germany and warm items are needed. Items need not be name brands . . .

For males - all sizes, but mostly medium and large
briefs
boxer shorts
undershirts or T-shirts
white crew sox
cotton turtleneck shirts
flannel shirts
sweatshirts (crew or zip-up hooded)
sweat pants
inexpensive athletic shoes
knit caps
knit gloves

For females - all sizes, but mostly medium and large
cotton briefs
cotton T-shirts
cotton turtleneck shirts
flannel shirts
bras - mostly sizes 34, 36, 38 with cup sizes B and C
white crew sox
sweatshirts (crew or zip-up hooded)
sweat pants
inexpensive athletic shoes
knit caps
knit gloves

Toiletry articles -disposable razors, shaving cream - regular and/or travel size, deodorant - regular and/or travel size, tooth brushes, tooth paste - regular and/or travel size, nail clippers, combs, hair brushes.
The hospital could also use new or used video tapes or DVDs of movies for the patients to watch. Comedies or light drama are best. Please avoid movies about war or those with excessive violence.If your squadron would like to help, we would greatly appreciate it, no matter what the quantity. Every little bit helps.If you wish to send money, make your check out to the Ramstein Cadet Squadron and put "Help for LRMC" on the memo line. We will use the money to purchase toiletry items and movies. But American-sized clothing listed above is what is mostly needed, which the BX is currently out of. Send your donations to:

Lt Col Lori Noyes
PSC 2 Box 6037
APO AE 09012

or

Ramstein Cadet Squadron NHQ-OS-119
Unit 3395
APO AE 09094

Thanks!

sorry everybody

2005-01-12T05:49:00.000-08:00

If you haven't been there, there's a wonderful site called www.sorryeverybody.com where people from all over the world have been commiserating post US election. We were especially disappointed after the election, depressed, infact, and found much solace at sorryeverybody. We posted there. You can find us on page http://www.sorryeverybody.com/gallery/284/ . They're publishing a book, too.

Finding Peace

2005-01-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

Finding peace is something we try to do every day. In fact, it seems to be the occupation of most people who are even the least bit enlightened. I'm testing here if I can paste a pic into html on this thing. The name of the painting is Finding Peace.

Painted on September 13, 2001, this piece speaks about how we go about our business to find our way past grief. Rowing, like creating art, is a present and peaceful act. We rowed in silence that day, all stunned by the events of the day before. Like breathing, we rowed, carrying on with our lives.

Prints come in 2 sizes. You can buy it here: http://store.peacethings.com/art1.html

Peace Poems, Please

2005-01-10T07:54:00.000-08:00

Win peace stuff from Peace Things!
Submit your best Peace Poem.
First round winners get a pair of Peace tees, unisex t-shirts emblazoned with the big peace sign - check them out here

The following poem written in 1814 by eleven-year-old Esther Talbot inspired me to open up peacethings for poetry submissions.

Come Gentle Peace

Come gentle peace, with smiling ray,
Beam on our land a cloudless day;
Beneath thy influence serene,
The olive wears immortal green.
Come, gentle Peace, resume they reign,
With all thy virtues in thy train;
And then Columbia's soil shall grow
As verdant Paradise below.

Esther Talbot, April 4, 1814

So, start writing, blog them here or email info@peacethings.com and you could win some cool peace things. First round deadline is March 1, 2005.

Putting a Face on It

2005-01-09T04:55:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how disaster makes such great news. Fear is the one main thing that stands between many and peace. Wasn't it fear that led us to attack Iraq? Or, if it wasn't fear, fear was used to drive public opinion into accepting such measures. Will fear of tsunami lead us to attack the sea?

The Washington post has a site where you can actually see the faces of our fallen soldiers. Faces of the Fallen - U.S. Casualties in Iraq:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/iraq/casualties/facesofthefallen.htm
When I see this, I am knowing that the people of Iraq have lost so many more.
Can we look at war like a tsunami by choice?
I'd prefer to leave the cleansing to nature.

Blogging for Peace

2005-01-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

After much finagling, Peace Things presents the Peace Talk Blog.
I had hoped to create this at www.peacethings.com, but can't seem to get it to post there successfully. If you are interested in becoming a contributor, send an email to blog@peacethings.com and I'll set you up.