Sunday, March 28, 2010

The Exchange of Easter Gifts

Kate this year suggested that we exchange Easter gifts. I scored big with a nifty set of Beatles Pint glasses. I've been on a roll braking my glasses lately so this was needed. To top that off, Kate gave me a very sweet container of eggs. Awesome. (I ate one already!)
For Kate I put together a basket made with a splatter guard for cooking which Kate said she needed. The guard formed the base and I used wrapping paper to form the basket. In the basket, some Bath & Body soaps and lotion, as well as some sweets.

Happy Spring!

Friday, March 05, 2010

A Constitution For The People

I've pasted an excerpt of a constitution below which I've removed references to the nation for which it was written. The meaning is intact. If curiosity gets the best of you and you would like to learn more about the forward thinking nation that must of written this, and to read the rest of the document that these excerpts are from I encourage you to click the link below. (Information made availble from Bucknell University website as translated/ prepared by Robert Beard)


ARTICLE 118. Citizens have "the right" to work, that is, are guaranteed the right to employment and payment for their work in accordance With its quantity and quality.
The right to work is ensured by the organization of the national economy, the steady growth of the productive forces of society, the elimination of the possibility of economic crises, and the abolition of unemployment.
ARTICLE 119. Citizens have "the right" to rest and leisure. The right to rest and leisure is ensured by the reduction of the working day to seven hours for the overwhelming majority of the workers, the institution of annual vacations with full pay for workers and employees and the provision of a wide network of sanatoria, rest homes and clubs for the accommodation of the working people.
ARTICLE 120. Citizens have "the right" to maintenance in old age and also in case of sickness or loss of capacity to work. This right is ensured by the extensive development of social insurance of workers and employees at state expense, free medical service for the working people and the provision of a wide network of health resorts for the use of the working people.
ARTICLE 121. Citizens have "the right" to education. This right is ensured by universal, compulsory elementary education; by education, including higher education, being free of charge; by the system of state stipends for the overwhelming majority of students in the universities and colleges; by instruction in schools being conducted in the native language, and by the organization in the factories, state farms, machine and tractor stations and collective farms of free vocational, technical and agronomic training for the working people.
ARTICLE 122. Women are accorded equal rights with men in all spheres of economic, state, cultural, social and political life. The possibility of exercising these rights is ensured to women by granting them an equal right with men to work, payment for work, rest and leisure, social insurance and education, and by state protection of the interests of mother and child, prematernity and maternity leave with full pay, and the provision of a wide network of maternity homes, nurseries and kindergartens.
ARTICLE 123. Equality of rights of citizens, irrespective of their nationality or race, in all spheres of economic, state, cultural, social and political life, is an indefeasible law. Any direct or indirect restriction of the rights of, or, conversely, any establishment of direct or indirect privileges for, citizens on account of their race or nationality, as well as any advocacy of racial or national exclusiveness or hatred and contempt, is punishable by law.
ARTICLE 124. In order to ensure to citizens freedom of conscience, the church is separated from the state, and the school from the church. Freedom of religious worship and freedom of antireligious propaganda is recognized for all citizens.
ARTICLE 125. In conformity with the interests of the working people, and in order to strengthen the socialist system, the citizens are guaranteed by law:
a. freedom of speech;
b. freedom of the press;
c. freedom of assembly, including the holding of mass meetings;
d. freedom of street processions and demonstrations.
These civil rights are ensured by placing at the disposal of the working people and their organizations printing presses, stocks of paper, public buildings, the streets, communications facilities and other material requisites for the exercise of these rights.

Think twice about criticism by some of today's prominent ideas on social progress before you consider the dissenting voice a fringe conspiracy theory.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Far Out...

Chile Earthquake May Have Shortened Days on Earth
The quake is horrible of course, but I suppose we can be thankful that Chile was much better equipped to deal with such a disaster then Haiti was.

Chile is one of those countries I'm intrigued with and wouldn't mind visiting some day.