From the Cosmic Observer

The realignment of the cosmos began Tuesday night in the land known as The United States on the planet called Earth.

The misalignment had thrown all the universes into chaos.

The Light was fractured.

The darkness was expanding.

The Soul was waning, lost from the Life Stream.

Out of the darkness a voice called out.

And was heard by the Soul tittering on the brink.

Memories of the Light burst forth causing the darkness to howl and shrivel.

In agony it retreated back unto its abyss.

The Light reformed into a bright beacon across the path.

All the universes began to move back into line.

Joy and hope were felt by all.

The warmth from the Light fell upon the huddle masses.

Inspired they sounded a call of their own.

Under New Management

Normally I do not advertise (paid or free) for any commercial endeavor here at
Carolina Naturally but for this I am making an exception.

You can find out more and purchase one at Print Liberation.

This is a great T-Shirt ... simple and straight forward.

He ought to be whipped in public

An Illinois man is accused of shooting a dog in the face with an arrow as part of a dispute with the animal's owner.

The German shepherd lived, but prosecutors arrested 28-year-old Nathan Settles on Tuesday and charged him with aggravated animal cruelty.

That's a felony.

Settles is in the Greene County jail on $25,000 bond.

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Them Goodbye

According to Maureen Dowd, the spontaneous crowd who gathered before the White House Tuesday night was singing the refrain from this song.



Not only according to her but a lot of people who were there and heard them singing - even the shrub!

Avoiding the 'Seasonal Seven'

The holiday season is quickly approaching and many of us will try to avoid the “Seasonal Seven.” That's the average weight most of us will gain between Thanksgiving and the New Year! The holiday season isn’t just one or two days of overeating. You have parties and dinners that include alcohol, more snacks, more finger foods and appetizers that extend from Thanksgiving through the New Year.

So what exactly should you do?

Stay Active

A lot of holiday weight gain happens because of being inactive. We are bombarded with holiday shopping, errands and family activities. It also gets darker earlier and the cold keeps us in. One way to help is to keep to your regular schedule. This will reduce the stress and give you more energy.

Don't Starve Yourself

One of the many mistakes people make is starving themselves beforehand so they can eat more of their favorites during the holidays. By the time dinner comes, you are so hungry that you lose self-control, and you overeat. Try to keep to your regular eating schedule as much as possible so that you don't overeat. Also, don’t forget to eat a snack before you go to a party.

Choose healthier options

You can eat what is being served but check out the different choices you can make. White turkey meat is a great source of lean protein. Vegetables that are not smothered in butter and salt, salad that does not have a lot of dressing, and sweet potatoes and cranberries are all healthier food choices. You can also make other dishes healthier by changing the ingredients slightly.

Enjoy What You Love

In general, eat what you want, but in moderation. You do not want to set yourself up for defeat, so eat the slice of pecan pie instead of going for the pumpkin pie, which is healthier. You don't want to feel unsatisfied with just the pumpkin pie and then have to have the pecan pie to fulfill your craving. Eat what you want and be satisfied in the beginning.

Don't Try To Start A New Diet During the Holidays

If you do, you're only setting yourself up for defeat. Stay healthy but don't be too restrictive.

Holidays Are Just Days

Enjoy yourself on the particular holiday but then go right back to your normal healthy eating plan. The holidays are just days, not weeks, not months, just days. Don’t use the season as an excuse to overeat and regret it next year.

Take Time For You

DON'T STRESS YOURSELF OUT! We all feel it during the holidays while running around making sure we have everything we need. Find something to do that will curb your stress that has nothing to do with food. Read a book, take a yoga class or go to the gym to help relieve the stress.

Give The Gift of Health

Give a health-related gift to someone you love to encourage the habit all year. Make a commitment to your body and teach what you've learned to those you love.

Eat, Drink and Be Merry!

The holiday season is full of love, laughter and lots of good food. Let your body tell you what it wants, needs and what it can do without. Live a little but don't overdo it and stay true to yourself and your needs.

Try Getting Out in the Yard

A little yard work before that big holiday gathering to make your yard look nice may help burn some calories. Get out and rake or put out some holiday decorations.

Dave's Monologue

Dave's Monologue from 11-5-08

And I Quote

The best thing about Obama's landslide: it has pushed the whackjobs on the right-wing radio waves into a suicidal state of mind.

~ Meyrav Levine

A bit slow on the draw

Barack Obama's big victory on Tuesday just keeps getting bigger.

The Associated Press is now giving the president-elect North Carolina, too, concluding that there are not enough uncounted ballots left for John McCain to overcome Obama's lead. The win in North Carolina gives Obama a whopping 364 Electoral College votes, with Missouri the only state that's too close to call.

The victory in North Carolina adds yet another solidly red state to Obama's column. His success in the Tar Heel State, as well as his wins in Indiana and Virginia, are a remarkable achievement. No Democratic candidate has won North Carolina since Jimmy Carter in 1976; Indiana and Virginia last voted for a Democrat in 1964.

So Obama has not just redrawn the map. He's printed an entirely new one.

*****

The boys at Boston.com are a bit slow on the draw on this one. We here in North Carolina knew Tuesday that Obama had won North Carolina.

History Speaks

With record low approval ratings and intense criticism for his handling of the Iraq war, Hurricane Katrina and the economy, the word most used to label George W. Bush's presidency will be "incompetent," historians say.

" Most see him as a combination of many negative factors."

"He is seen as incompetent in terms of how he handled domestic and foreign policy. He is seen as pushing for an agenda to the right of the nation and doing so through executive power that ignored the popular will."

It didn't take long

Yesterday morning I mused on the eerie silence of the wing-nuts on the open forums I read and felt that it was only sadly temporary.
I was correct by late yesterday and into the evening and this morning they were back at it and just as vile and hate filled as ever.
However the responses to them have been more congenial than recently now that America has asserted herself again.

The best one so far in turns of conciseness and politeness I have seen so far actually was sent to me via email from a friend.
The quote sent was:

"Bye-bye, history is moving on and leaving you behind!"

It is so very true history is leaving the wing-nuts behind where they will wither and die on the dung heap of their own making.
Unfortunately they will get more shrill and more vile before they are gone, but knowing that we can ignore them all the more.