I love reading personal websites that people put together. I find it broadens my horizons, through giving me different viewpoints.

Here are some cool sites I've found:

Art
Lapis
Onyx
Pearl
Ruby
Sapphire
Topaz

I thought I'd share some cool blogs today:

My Life as MomKat

.: Swirl .:

Equivoque

Garden Girl ~~@

BamBall

Premier Exec Traveler

World Peace

Living as Therapy

Tips for Success Blog

Cranberries and Cranberry Recipes

Life and Livingness

So many fires in New Mexico since we got here! I'm amazed at how much trouble this state has with fires.

I smelled smoke in the air yesterday, and today we saw smoke from another fire in town. (Fortunately it wasn't big.)

Here's a good site for tracking fires in wildlands:
Wildland Fire Information

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Fun Links Today:

Jealousy

Moving Past Grief

I found a wonderful quote today:

"Suppose that it will cost six francs to repair the damage. If you mean that
the accident gives six francs' worth of encouragement to the aforesaid
industry, I agree. I do not contest it in any way; your reasoning is
correct. The glazier will come, do his job, receive six francs, congratulate
himself, and bless in his heart the careless child. That is what is seen.

"But if, by way of deduction, you conclude, as happens only too often, that
it is good to break windows, that it helps to circulate money, that it
results in encouraging industry in general, I am obliged to cry out: That
will never do! Your theory stops at what is seen. It does not take account
of what is not seen."

--Bastait in the essay "What is Seen and Not Seen."

I found a copy of that essay at:
Essay

You can read other great quotes at:
Google Quotes Directory

Education Quotes

Quotes about Education

Parenting Quotes

Have you ever wanted to find a blog on a certain subject and been unable to? I was trying to find blogs kept by Middle Easterners, and I couldn't find one to save my life.

Well, my troubles are over!

Here's a great blog resource directory:

College
Literature
Children
Civil Rights
Education
Philosophy
Future
Poetry
Religion
Parenting
Linguistics
Advice
Education Research
California
Celebrities
Spirituality
Art

If you'd like to find out about Scientology, then there is a great group you can join where you can ask others about their religion.

Find out about Scientology.

You can also check out the following websites:

What is Scientology?
Scientology Handbook.

I think it's so important to encourage social responsibility in children. Some children are born more socially aware - they are the little kids who take on a couple of older boys throwing rocks at a squirrel. Those kids, I think, will naturally gravitate towards helping others their entire lives. These children should be assisted in their desire to help others. If you have a child like that, you can find groups for them to help. Groups that will encourage their own leadership potential, and give them an outlet for their creative energies, something that they feel can actually let them make a real difference in the world.

Some groups that are perfect for these kids are:

Free the Children.

Youth for Human Rights.

Concerned Businessmen's Association of America.

Set a Good Example Contest.

Church of Scientology Drug-Free Marshals.

Youth Volunteer.

The Way to Happiness.

The Way to Happiness - Set a Good Example Contest.

And those kids who tend to be the rock throwers? They need these kinds of activities even more!

I've been looking at religious tolerance websites recently.

I really like the Cult Awareness Network. I found their history to be fascinating!

Some other good sites are:
Investigations into Religious Freedom Abuses.
Tolerance for All.
Foundation for Religious Freedom.
Human Rights and Freedoms.
This is about the right of communication, and the right to speak out. As an American, I sometimes take this right for granted - I always find it shocking when I witness some situation in which someone's right to freely communicate has been infringed.
Yahoo! Society and Culture
Freedom Magazine

All Experts

http://www.uni-marburg.de/religionswissenschaft/journal/mjr/frenschkowski.html

Superlinks - Politics. (Directory of sites.)
Youth for Human Rights.

It's so dry and hot! I wonder if that 45 second rainstorm a few weeks ago is all we'll have for a while!

Several national forests are closed due to fire hazard, including large areas of Cibola National Forest and Santa Fe National Forest.

It's not like in LA, where fires are quickly handled, because of the financial investments at risk. There are fewer firefighters here, much more land to cover for those fewer firefighters, and there just isn't the same kind of money around to battle fires.

We've already had some big fires in New Mexico - I hope we get some rain soon!

I've been thinking about leadership lately, and what it means to really be a leader. I don't mean leadership in the sense of politicians (although that's certainly one way to do it), but rather in terms of daily life. What each of us is responsible for, merely by being citizens of the world, and how to best utilize our abilities to bring about positive change.

I see so much poverty in New Mexico, and it's disturbing. It's not one of the more wealthy states in the U.S.

Better education is certainly one way to improve the lot of people - however, not everyone is qualified to go to college. Temperamentally, I mean, not necessarily having anything to do with intelligence. Because I know intelligence can be improved. But not all people will want to go through 16 years of schooling before contributing back and becoming a productive member of the community.

So there must be wider educational options - trade school, rather than high school, more programs to bring adults into colleges, more community arts programs. I think, in order to fully encourage education and utilize the talents and abilities of people, we just need tons more attention put on education, and more types of programs.

Not everyone fits into the "I'm willing to sit at a desk for 16 straight years and get good grades, and show my worth before I'm WORTH anything!" mentality.

Here are some interesting sites on the subjects of education and leadership:

Fight for Kids
Applied Scholastics
Raising Responsible Children
Homeschoolmum
Building a Better World
Freedom Leaders
Learn about the U.S. Constitution.
Christian Homeschooling Guide
Homeschooling Links
Society Issues - Homeschooling
Google - Homeschooling
Learn in Freedom!
Family Websites
Education Planet
56 Websites for Homeschooling
Education Blogs
Daytime Curfew & Homeschooling
Quotes about Education.
Homeschooling Family
Homeschooled boy who volunteers
L. Ron Hubbard - The Humanitarian - Education.
L. Ron Hubbard, Humanitarian.

Wow. Three posts in a day! I think that's a record.

I just thought I'd post these cool blogs here:

Drug-Free Bodybuilding

Viewpoints from Florida

Learning about Cooking

eBay

Jazz Music and Independent Production

LRH Tapes

Improving Society

War Stories

Cat Servant

The Lab

I've always been a fan of Bernie Taupin, the writer for Elton John. Here's his band's website - Farm Dogs.

And a fan site -

Alex's Farm Dogs Puppy Page - Bernie Taupin's band.

Alex's GuestBook.

I am not yet accustomed to the sun in New Mexico. I sat out by the pool for 20 minutes without sunscreen. I thought - 20 minutes! - no big deal. But I DID get a little sunburn on my shoulders.

I've been really coating the children in sunscreen, and only letting them play by the pool for up to 45 minutes at a time during the sunniest part of the day. I thought I was being a bit paranoid, but I did see a bit too much pink on a few kids, despite my precautions.

It's bright here! We're pretty far south, but also at a high altitude.

Beautiful, though! It's a whole different feeling - this dry heat and blazing sun. Even though I'm not accustomed to it, and being of European descent, my body isn't really made for this kind of sunshine, I still really, really love it.

Yesterday the Gay Pride march went by my house. I didn't even know about the festival until the parade went by.

My sister is gay, and she and her partner have been together for about 8 years. They're really looking forward to being able to actually get married. They were married in Canada, but that does not grant them the right to make vital medical decisions in case one of them is gravely ill, or to visit one another in the hospital, or other rights that hetero couples receive when married.

Since my sister has a health condition that has required her to get about 7 surgeries, and she'll need more, this is an important issue for them.

I'm looking forward to watching this movement - things are definitely changing in terms of rights for gays!

ARE THERE HIDDEN TOXINS IN YOUR HOME?

Over the last 50 years, man-made chemicals, medications and street drugs have spread at almost inconceivable rates. We're exposed to pesticides, fertilizers and toxic chemicals daily. Some of us do our best to avoid exposure to these toxins, taking normal safety measures around chemicals. Yet what if there are toxic dangers lurking in our own homes—that we bring into where we live or routinely use in household chores?

According to Environmental Scientist Michael Wisner, there are numerous types of toxins that we may bring into our own homes unwittingly that can be absorbed into the body. "There are common sense things one can do to reduce the toxic exposure in one's home," says Wisner. "For example, if you leave your shoes at the door before walking into your house, you can reduce you and your family's exposure to lead by 40%. Lead comes from vehicular and industrial exhaust and being heavier than air, falls to the ground, where we then walk it into our homes. Another simple tip is to clean things with baking soda, vinegar and water rather than harsh store-bought chemical cleaners."


Mr. Michael Wisner, Environmental Scientist
Wisner has been seen in TV interviews across the country, including the Montel Williams Show where he discussed a two-pronged approach to the rampant dangers posed by everyday toxins. Wisner urged people, first, to be aware of the chemicals that can insidiously make their way into our everyday lives. He then explained why reducing the levels of toxins that have already accumulated in the body is also so vital. Wisner spoke about the program as described in the book Clear Body Clear Mind by New York Times best-selling author L. Ron Hubbard.

This book details Mr. Hubbard's research that resulted in his breakthrough discovery that toxic residues can be trapped in the fatty tissues of our bodies and can affect our mental and spiritual well-being. This program has now been successfully completed by over 250,000 people worldwide.

Wisner and other scientists studied the program; and while Wisner made it clear that the program and book make no medical claims and results may vary from person to person, he added, "I have contributed to twelve independent, published scientific studies that in my opinion clearly document the scientific efficacy and safety of the program." Wisner also extols the more subjective results, "We put over 3,000 normal people through the program, seeing some incredible results on a scientific level. But it is important to note that many of those who have completed the program have experienced results such as heightened ability to think clearly and a general increase of happiness in life."

"The key," says Wisner, "is to do everything we can to reduce the toxins we use in our homes and workaday environments, while at the same time reducing our internal exposure with a proven method. Mr. Hubbard's program in Clear Body Clear Mind is a survival tool in today's chemical world."

Here are some blogs I've recently checked out:

Natural Health
The Artist in Everyone

From email:

FINDINGS SAY TOXINS MAY BE LINKED TO DEPRESSION

Depression is a growing problem across America. Some reports state that 17.5 million Americans suffer from depression. According to one Surgeon General's Report, up to one in 10 children may suffer from a serious emotional disturbance. People with severe depression have a reported suicide rate as high as 15%, making it potentially the number one cause of suicide in the United States.

Americans end up spending billions of dollars on ineffectual and harmful pharmaceutical drugs each year to supposedly deal with the problem of depression. Yet despite the use of these drugs, why are depression rates still rising?

Researchers are finding evidence that depression may come from an entirely different cause—the University Pathology Consortium, a not-for-profit academic consortium founded and owned by the medical school departments of six leading universities, including Stanford, recently attributed some symptoms of depression to exposure to toxins.

Repeated exposure to pollutants in the food and environment can result in accumulation of toxins such as lead, mercury and aluminum inside the body. One possible source of exposure is dental fillings made from amalgam, which contains mercury. Norwegian researchers found that 47% of patients with dental amalgam fillings reported suffering from major depression, compared to 14% in the dental control group. Exposure to other toxins, such as lead, may also elicit symptoms of depression.

"Environmental toxins have only increased over the past 50 years and have been found in everything from grit on the ground to the makeup a woman uses to powder her nose. Pesticides, toxic mold and harsh chemicals cleaners have all become more prevalent in our country and also in many of our homes," says Dr. Harry Wong, Clinical Director of the Physicians Plus Medical Group, a medical clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area. "We often see patients who have feelings of depression and one of the first things we suspect is an environmental influence."

Dr. Wong and his colleagues follow the latest research and help their patients complaining of depression by looking for underlying reasons, like toxic overload in the system. Dr. Wong recommends a program based on the book Clear Body Clear Mind by L. Ron Hubbard. While the book makes no medical claims, it outlines a simple and effective program to reduce toxic buildup in the body. Over 250,000 people worldwide have successfully completed a program based on the book. "We routinely see a marked improvement in our patients who do this program," says Dr. Wong. "They think more clearly, have more energy and they are definitely happier."

Finding the right source behind depression and addressing it accordingly should make all Americans increasingly happier.

Clear Body, Clear Mind

Wow! We had a 45 second rainstorm today. A brilliant, hot, sunny day, and suddenly I heard loud thunder. Ran out into the sunshine, and it was pouring cats & dogs for less than a minute.

Then... just hot sunshine.

My hubby said he saw lightening hit the high school! That must have been the thunder I heard.

Amazing!

I've been reading about Hinduism recently. I found a really good website that explains different types of Hindu practice, which someone almost completely unversed in the subject can understand.

Vedanta Society.

I especially enjoyed reading about the process of "neti, neti" which means "not this, not this" - it's eliminating all that can be changed or altered - and what one is left with, therefore, is truth.

Here's a list of places of religious worship: LookSmart Directory

I have also enjoyed reading through articles on religion at Clergy Corner.

Hinduism.
Hindu Festivals.
Scientology Volunteers.
Scientology
Christmas.
Islam Misconceptions.