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Mysterious Lights Spotted Over Phoenix, Again
PHOENIX, AZ (CBS4) ― Nearly a decade after the highly publicized 'Phoenix Light Phenomenon', more strange lights have appeared in the night sky over downtown Phoenix.
Tuesday night, mysterious lights lit up the western skies over Phoenix and soon after, phones began ringing off the hook at radio, television and police stations from witnesses wondering what the lights were.
The Yuma Marine Base claims it has the answer. Base officials said the amber-colored flares came from training flights on the Goldwater Gunnery Range. They went on to explain that the amber flares are used as targets.
Witnesses said it appeared the flares were flying in a formation and base officials explained that the flares float down to Earth attached to parachutes.
Back in March of 1997, a huge object was spotted over parts of Arizona that many witnesses believed to be an extraterrestrial spacecraft that was drifting slowly and silently over the region. The 'Phoenix Light Phenomenon" became one of the most publicized and well-documented UFO sightings in recent history.
The Air Force said they were flares from an A-10 but many critics said flares couldn't fly on their own over such a large distance.
The Discovery Channel has done a special on the lights. A movie has even been made about them which recently came out on DVD.
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Rules:
(A) The boss is always right.
(B) When the boss is wrong, rule A applies.
I've always been fascinated by different political ideologies, trying to understand why we choose them. Undoubtedly, the beliefs of our parents, peers, teachers, and other notable figures have a great influence during our adolescence, but after a while we develop our own ideas, and our own individual world views.
So, what leads one to be an anarchist, or a conservative, or a moderate, or a libertarian? Surely, above and beyond our upbringings, our personalities must play a large factor in this.
I guess there's nobody I know better than myself, so I make a good example for this purpose. I cared little for politics until the age of about 14 or 15. I came from a fairly politically conservative environment - my Mum fits pretty well in the mould of a conservative christian liberal/national voter, while my Dad leans further to the right as a former One Nation supporter, and assisted in the local campaign back in 1998, somewhat to my Mum's dismay.
At the time when I started exploring political ideas, I was introduced to a very black and white picture of right and left - an 'us' of conservatives, Christian fundamentalists, Republicans, John Howard and Andrew Bolt, and a 'them' of Labor, the Greens, pro-choicers and Karl Marx.
However, soon enough my (practically non-existent, anyhow) 'faith' in Christianity had disappeared, and with it went a lot of my preconceived views. Why exactly, was it wrong for people to be in same-sex relationships? Was the death penalty really an appropriate method of punishment? I still very much identified myself as a conservative, but gradually, I found myself identifying less and less with traditional conservative ideas.
Now I find myself, for all intents and purposes, a centrist - whatever that means. I still hold strong views on some subjects that might seem appropriate for a conservative (such as abortion), but I no longer see myself as having any partisan identifications, nor do I (in my own mind, or through my beliefs) identify myself as a conservative or a right-winger. Indeed, rather than the 'us' or 'them' world of my early teenage years, I now see many, many arguments, all deserving of and requiring consideration. I also see that not everybody really fits within such easily definable moulds such as 'left' or 'right', but if they do, they often align themselves with a specific ideology or political party.
So then, why is it that such people choose these sides to place themselves on? Is it, as I mused a few years back, a division between idealism and realism? Or, as those on the left might counter, a division between selflessness and selfishness?
Of course, I no longer believe it to be nearly that simple. However, I do believe that there must be simple human traits, qualities and emotions that are more dominant on either side of politics. Returning to myself - I know that my journey from a conservative to a moderate has been accompanied with a growth in experience, an increased thirst for knowledge and analysis, and perhaps most importantly, large doses of skepticism and cynicism. Are these traits more related to the 'left-wing', and is this a trend that will continue until I directly associate myself with the left side of politics, or is this as 'left' as I'm ever going to get (keeping in mind the famous Churchill quote, "If you are not a liberal by age 20, you have no heart; if you are not a conservative by age 40, you have no brain")? I honestly don't know, but all I know right now is that I avoid such labels and share an equal skepticism for both sides of politics.
Of course, another factor to consider is that perceptions of left and right change dramatically over time. A few centuries ago, Britain's right/left divide seems to have been quite squarely centred on the issue of monarchy, and yet in the last decade, democracy has been the catch-cry of America's neo-conservatives. Similarly, issues such as women's suffrage and racial equality were the domain of radicals once upon a time, but now are concepts generally accepted by all but the fringes of society.
There's the saying that all types make a world, and I have considered many times in the past that perhaps a left and a right are necessary in any functioning society - a right (forgive the blatant stereotyping for a second) to ensure the smooth running and structural enforcement of the society, and a left to provide its soul, its art, and its ability to progress. Of course, I could be completely wrong, or attributing qualities that are actually present on either side of politics.
In the end, however, I cannot see the left/right divide as a good thing. Frankly, I see it as, just like religion, culture, language and race, yet another way for people to isolate themselves in small groups. It is a shame that these 'us and them' mentalities emerge, when really, politics and philosophy should be areas that encourage free, frank and honest discussion with the goal of understanding. I hope that that is how I spend the remainder of my life - not a mouthpiece for another person's beliefs, or a devotee of a preconceived ideology. Rather, I want to always be open to any argument, any debate, and any opinion - not being conservative or liberal, tory or whig, republican or democrat, right or left. Just me.
My father spoiled me rotten. Most of you know I'm not only adopted, but an only child. There was not too much growing up that I ever wanted for. Being the apple of my daddy's eyes he found it very hard to think that I could do wrong. But I could. And I did.
I grew up fairly innocent and naive. My mother never had the "talk" with me. Until I actually had sex at the age of 15 .... I really wasn't too sure how it was done. Although I had been sexually active (1st base .... 2nd base) before 15 I had never done the deed till then.
Free clinics were all the rage in those days and I had my first pap there. Received birth control pills and screwed ..... a lot. I had the same boyfriend through most of high school .... it wasn't until we broke up that I started getting a bit crazier sexually and not caring to much with whom. This would of broken my fathers heart. For sure.
I spent a lot of time ditching school. And ended up on the "10 most wanted" list. I remember the day I was called into my counselor's office to find my mom sitting in a chair with tears running down her eyes and a stack of notes with the word "FORGED" in big red letters across the front of them. She never told my father .... afraid of how he would react. She never told him of the alcohol .... cigarettes .... and birth control pills she had found while rummaging through my room. She protected him from most everything I did wrong. At the time I didn't realize what kind of a strain that must have been on her. I dated a "Mexican" .... and my dad never ever excepted that. My mom went with the flow. A divorce between the two of them was almost caused due to my relationship with this boy. But they did not divorce .... for which I am thankful .... at time I don't think I cared. Not sure.
I lied non-stop as a teenager / young adult to my parents. The list of things I have done that I am forever ashamed for goes on forever ....
Being bailed out of jail on multiple drug charges was one of my more finer moments. This crushed both my parents. But now they understood why their daughter only weighed 89 lbs. Cocaine addiction was something I know they were not prepared to deal with. And honestly feel that they both (mom and dad) just put that whole incident in the darkest deepest place in their minds. It was never discussed. Instead I would call them in need of money .... after all this .... using some excuse .... and spend every dime on drugs. And they never questioned it. Not once. Great enablers. As I said ..... in dad's eyes ..... I did no wrong.
Selling off their antique furniture was another fine moment in time. Gifted to me when I moved out I prized this furniture ..... then the addiction ..... then no furniture. Explain that one.
The amount of money I have taken from them is in gross amounts .... and in no way would I ever be able to pay it back .... not in whats left of my lifetime.
A pregnancy and an abortion .... something I never ever shared with them. Believe me ..... this would of killed them both ..... it makes me almost throw up today. Thank God they never knew.
Holy shit ..... if I try to go on .... I'll be here for days ..... but the point of this post is this .....
Growing up can be challenging at best. Growing up in today's world can not be easy and I am not envious of children / young adults in the least. Coming from a much simpler time .... and dealing with the changes of the time as I did .... to deal with the crap of today's world ..... no thank you.
We all do things that will follow us forever .... haunt us .... maybe somethings trivial .... others not so trivial .... but we have to learn and hopefully grow ..... analyze and know why we won't let that happen again. A recognition of a wrong doing and taking responsibility for that wrong doing is a major step in living with it and letting it go. Letting it go. Easier said than done. Let it go.
The amazing thing about moms and dads is that the majority love their children without condition .... they will survive their children's wrong doings. They will want the best for them and will want them to be happy ..... bottom line. That is what makes them happy.
And sometimes we can realize things at a much younger age than I did for sure and know that we have a lifetime ahead of us to make things right. And then set out to do so. I'm not smart like that ..... so unfortunately for me ..... the ability to say "I'm sorry" and "thank you" .... have passed at least for my dad ..... and I still have not said those words to my mom .... but I will .... hopefully before its too late.
OK .... this was a very unorganized ramble that went all over the place ..... but the intent was good .... and I hope this does not change how you (laura) look at me. There is more and someday if you feel the need to know things I have no problem sharing .... my life is an open book.
Peace. J. (Auntie Granny)
Newt Gingrich has compiled some amazing statistics from Joe Americans about America utilizing a broad spectrum of Republicans, Democrats and Independents. Now I cannot vouch for the scientific method in acquiring the statistics because obviously Newt is a Conservative.
In full disclosure of honesty, Slanted Left data collection is also skewed to justify their agenda; therefore the method on both sides of the aisle is more than likely skewed for self-justification. The reader of statistics has to decide the integrity of the data organization to filter an opinion from percentages and numbers published as statistical results.
I am a Conservative and I would never trust statistics derived from Kos or a statistical organization hired by Kos, that group is simply too inflammatory against the Right to read anything into their conclusions or methods to acquire conclusions. On the other hand I might weigh some thoughts of statistics derived from the NY Times or the Washington Post, two obvious Slanted Left media publications. You might ask, “Why?” The reason is every scandal a journalistic media of repute (whether it is Left or Right) has to understand that being caught in conspicuous manipulation adds disrepute to the validity of their reporting. The National Enquirer understands this principle, only gossip fanatics and the addicted to the strange take the National Enquirer seriously.
If the NYT or WaPo were caught in Statistical fraud it could eventually cut into their bottom line – sales and revenue. Now that is ironic for Slanted Left organizations is it not?
So obviously Newts statistics may be skewed; however the skewing is more than likely in the question and the conclusion. That works for me.
The essence of Newts recent “Winning The Future” e-newsletter is that media and blogs present a picture of the Left and the Right being vicious enemies on way opposite sides of the political spectrum. Newt’s statistics amazingly disputes the polarizing divide between Americans.
Read the November 7th issue of Winning The Future to see how alike in concerns that Americans are.
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