Dear Readers,
Mike's Vacation will be publishing regular travelogue and political/economic editorial.
Each Issue will be be accompanied by a YouTube.com hosted video attachment.
The video portion of each issue will be a summarized version of each article. If the viewer desires to read the script for our issue, he will then have access to our in depth article as well as our bibliography.
There are many viewers who do not have time to read a complex article and attached bibliography. This is why we will be summarizing all of our articles in a video format.
This same format will be used for all articles being either Travel, Politics, or Industry.
Thank You,
Michael Miller
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
THE LAST OF THE COOL PEOPLE-- A LOST AND TROUBLED GENERATION
I graduated high school in 1986. I attended a small Midwestern high school, not unlike many others of its day.
I believe that your most formative years are your years in high school. That is when your character is cemented.
Your trials and tribulations during this period are the training grounds for how all the remainder of your life's challenges will be met.
At the end of the eighties, we had real problems facing us. For one thing, we had all just recently survived the farm crash, the factory crash, and a giant recession. I remember the county I lived in had endured a trough of unemployment of 27%.
We also lived with the daily threat of total annihilating nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Every day our evening news was watched for information about our "enemy" who legitimately had the strength to deal us such a heavy nuclear blow that we would not ever fully recover.
Aids was also a burgeoning threat, there were no miracle cocktails, and there was little correct information at hand over what was likely to spread it and what wasn't. ( beyond mere blood and body fluid precautions) It was assumed that a single encounter with an "aids infected" or "HIV infected" woman would automatically lead to an aids death months later.
It seems that our two worlds (east and west) were kept in balance by the other. Our world of western privilege and advantage was a plate spinning on a stick, only kept in alignment by our nemesis' similar counter-rotating world.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, their world crumbled, and their own spinning plate of a universe bounded off into their own never land across the ocean, essentially unable to provide the political balance to our own world.
Our world of righteous beauty and plenty began to accelerate in political rotation until we also quickly became a "tilted universe" unto ourselves.
Everything we knew about good and bad, right and wrong fast became passe'. It seems we have left our own stable and logical world behind, only to live in a new and sick cartoon like plane of existence.
Our modern world resembles to me a "roger rabbit" like "toon town" of a dimension. The personal encounters of my daily life seem "fake and animated" and "unreal".
I am living in this tilted universe, this fake, creepy cartoon like dimension with only my 1986 character and strength to guide me and help me survive.
The children and young adults of our modern age, have not known any other plane of existence, and can't imagine what our "real world" was like. There is a serious generation gap between anyone that graduated from high school in or before 1986 and our chronological descendants.
America before the Soviet Collapse was both a gentler and more sophisticated time. We didn't have the large scale social decay or the Orwellian eye blinders of modern false liberalism to imprison us as our modern young people experience.
I have included a few 80's era music videos for you to enjoy, maybe it will take you back to your original dimension. Maybe for a few seconds you too can remember who you were when you had the promise of the future, and a little bit of your own innocence remaining.
Mike's Vacation
Indy- 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14IRDDnEPR4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4J4M6BXDLs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78pQOkLTdFo
I believe that your most formative years are your years in high school. That is when your character is cemented.
Your trials and tribulations during this period are the training grounds for how all the remainder of your life's challenges will be met.
At the end of the eighties, we had real problems facing us. For one thing, we had all just recently survived the farm crash, the factory crash, and a giant recession. I remember the county I lived in had endured a trough of unemployment of 27%.
We also lived with the daily threat of total annihilating nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Every day our evening news was watched for information about our "enemy" who legitimately had the strength to deal us such a heavy nuclear blow that we would not ever fully recover.
Aids was also a burgeoning threat, there were no miracle cocktails, and there was little correct information at hand over what was likely to spread it and what wasn't. ( beyond mere blood and body fluid precautions) It was assumed that a single encounter with an "aids infected" or "HIV infected" woman would automatically lead to an aids death months later.
It seems that our two worlds (east and west) were kept in balance by the other. Our world of western privilege and advantage was a plate spinning on a stick, only kept in alignment by our nemesis' similar counter-rotating world.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, their world crumbled, and their own spinning plate of a universe bounded off into their own never land across the ocean, essentially unable to provide the political balance to our own world.
Our world of righteous beauty and plenty began to accelerate in political rotation until we also quickly became a "tilted universe" unto ourselves.
Everything we knew about good and bad, right and wrong fast became passe'. It seems we have left our own stable and logical world behind, only to live in a new and sick cartoon like plane of existence.
Our modern world resembles to me a "roger rabbit" like "toon town" of a dimension. The personal encounters of my daily life seem "fake and animated" and "unreal".
I am living in this tilted universe, this fake, creepy cartoon like dimension with only my 1986 character and strength to guide me and help me survive.
The children and young adults of our modern age, have not known any other plane of existence, and can't imagine what our "real world" was like. There is a serious generation gap between anyone that graduated from high school in or before 1986 and our chronological descendants.
America before the Soviet Collapse was both a gentler and more sophisticated time. We didn't have the large scale social decay or the Orwellian eye blinders of modern false liberalism to imprison us as our modern young people experience.
I have included a few 80's era music videos for you to enjoy, maybe it will take you back to your original dimension. Maybe for a few seconds you too can remember who you were when you had the promise of the future, and a little bit of your own innocence remaining.
Mike's Vacation
Indy- 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14IRDDnEPR4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4J4M6BXDLs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78pQOkLTdFo
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The Patriotic War
May 9 commemorates the victory by the Soviet Peoples of the Patriotic War.
Mikes Vacation feels great reverence for this monumental occasion.
We would like to honor the Soviets who survived and died during this horrible war.
It would be possible to present hundreds of hours of video for these same Soviets.
It would be possible to write thousands of words to honor their memories.
But today, we will honor their memories by a simple and succinct video posting.
We believe that Russian President Medvedev's message will be a correct message for Mikes Vacation to endorse, and publish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQn8Oyhu5ZA
Mikes Vacation feels great reverence for this monumental occasion.
We would like to honor the Soviets who survived and died during this horrible war.
It would be possible to present hundreds of hours of video for these same Soviets.
It would be possible to write thousands of words to honor their memories.
But today, we will honor their memories by a simple and succinct video posting.
We believe that Russian President Medvedev's message will be a correct message for Mikes Vacation to endorse, and publish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQn8Oyhu5ZA
Monday, May 4, 2009
Its About F@#%ing Time!!
Well somebody in this country has finally grown some balls and gotten their sense back when it comes to unruly children. http://www.newsweek.com/id/195119?Gt1=43002
Mikes Vacation is naturally against "child abuse". However we are worldly enough to make a distinction between good old fashioned discipline, and "abuse".
Mikes Vacation also believes that our national movement against parents and schools spanking kids was started by the pharmaceutical manufactures that make drugs such as "Ritalin".
When it becomes illegal to spank your kids, the only method to control them is to drug them. Hence our recent industry of drugging kids with mood and behavior altering drugs to get them to behave, as opposed to augmenting positive re-enforcement with a good whipping from time to time.
A good friend of Mikes Vacation has proposed very strong and through arguments against the corporal punishment of children. He contends that the only time a child needs to be whipped, or spanked is when a parent has failed in their duties to teach and monitor a child. He contends that violence begets violence, and that statistics have shown that violence and abuse has been a major contributory factor to the millions of citizens now incarcerated in our jails and prisons.
The man making this argument to Mikes Vacation is a highly educated, and intelligent man. His opinions are not to be taken lightly. While sometimes he is wrong, it is not usually in matters of science. His opinions in the areas of human behavior are frequently correct, but not absolutely so. Needless to say he is credible enough to have his opinions take very seriously.
What has happened to our country in the past 30-40 years in the general area of gentility, or lack of it, could be likened to a power vacuum.
For a long time in America we had a problem with a very few "exotic" cases of child abuse being far and away beyond what could be construed as "discipline" or even "harsh discipline". We had a situation where a mentally or emotionally unstable parent could abuse a child at will, with virtually no recourse.
During the Late sixties and early seventies the hippie movement's use of mind altering drugs, and Hollywood's unveiling of films portraying children as "evil" or "possessed" led to an unprecedented string of "exotic abuse/murder" cases of children being killed by their emotionally unstable parents.
During this same time period Americas began to become even more mobile and transient in regards to their geographic locale than ever before.
This set the stage for public outcry against "abuse of children". Mikes Vacation is against the abuse of children. We naturally endorse the gentle and patient rearing of children.
However what has become of our well meaning movement to "not abuse" children has not been effectively replaced our old standard methods of spanking kids when they needed it.
Let me explain a little further. Prior to 1970 or so, virtually all of America was raised in the same general fashion. Disrespect to parents, teachers, and elders was a universally accepted taboo. Violating this taboo led to corporal punishment. As a general rule, this didn't lead to death, torture, or prison, it just led to a sassy kid getting whipped and brought back into line.
Since we have entered the period of criminalizing the spanking of children, we have not entered into what I would call the "pseudo-Utopian intellectual period" of child rearing.
Mikes Vacation tends to agree with the gentleman who believes that children could very well be raised without ever spanking them, and that two intelligent intellectuals with all the time in the world to supervise their child could raise a prodigy, without ever raising their hand once to that same child. Mikes Vacation both agrees with this "concept" and we like the idea of it.
HOWEVER: This modern forward thinking model of child rearing is not likely to be adopted in America anytime soon. The fact is that we are a country of very average people. These same people are too tired, too simple, and often too sub-collegiate to be able to function as "cerebral and educated" non-violent parents.
As a result of the criminalization of parents "spanking" children when necessary and the lack of a "universally implemented " non-violent model for child rearing our nations children have been raised in a "power vacuum" where they have been allowed to turn into little, and now large monsters.
The only method left to parents is to take their child to a psychiatrist and get "drugs" prescribed to help control unruly behavior. Is this our American dream, a nation of chemically restrained children? Is this better than an occasional whipping? I don't think so.
Who profits from our modern child abuse laws? Children as a group do not profit from being allowed to grow up without respect and consequences for their actions. Parents do not profit from suffering delinquent and unruly kids. Society itself doesn't profit from having our newest generation imbibe on pills to control their behavior. Perhaps there are some children in our country who don't die of abuse because of our new laws against the spanking of kids.
How do we quantify the days, months and years of our nations youth lost to reform school and ultimately jail because of their unchecked delinquency and emotional maladjustment? Is this not a price of our reliance on behavior altering drugs as opposed to an occasional whipping?
But lets consider for a moment who actually profits from a national policy criminalizing the spanking of our children. THE DRUG COMPANIES PROFIT!!!!!
THE DRUG COMPANIES ARE BEHIND THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO "PROTECT CHILDREN FROM ABUSE"!!!!!
Mikes Vacation believes that it will ultimately be proven that Drug Companies have financed the lobbying of our politicians to criminalized the corporal punishment of kids. They are the sole entities that have profited from our modern "no-spank" model of child rearing.
In summary, America had a very effective child rearing model up to the early seventies. We built a society that raised industries, and won wars, we engendered generations of heros, intellectuals and artists. The bulk of all that is great about America was raised under this model.
Our current model of drug pushing, and no spanking will not breed great men. It will only produce slackers with no souls.
We as a society need to construct a model, at least as productive as the one used to make this nation great. We need to be wary of the predators that would abuse this new model, predators such as drug companies and crooked politicians.
You can't replace a system that has been effective for 300, 500, or even 5000 years with something dreamed up in the marketing office of a drug company.
Mikes Vacation is naturally against "child abuse". However we are worldly enough to make a distinction between good old fashioned discipline, and "abuse".
Mikes Vacation also believes that our national movement against parents and schools spanking kids was started by the pharmaceutical manufactures that make drugs such as "Ritalin".
When it becomes illegal to spank your kids, the only method to control them is to drug them. Hence our recent industry of drugging kids with mood and behavior altering drugs to get them to behave, as opposed to augmenting positive re-enforcement with a good whipping from time to time.
A good friend of Mikes Vacation has proposed very strong and through arguments against the corporal punishment of children. He contends that the only time a child needs to be whipped, or spanked is when a parent has failed in their duties to teach and monitor a child. He contends that violence begets violence, and that statistics have shown that violence and abuse has been a major contributory factor to the millions of citizens now incarcerated in our jails and prisons.
The man making this argument to Mikes Vacation is a highly educated, and intelligent man. His opinions are not to be taken lightly. While sometimes he is wrong, it is not usually in matters of science. His opinions in the areas of human behavior are frequently correct, but not absolutely so. Needless to say he is credible enough to have his opinions take very seriously.
What has happened to our country in the past 30-40 years in the general area of gentility, or lack of it, could be likened to a power vacuum.
For a long time in America we had a problem with a very few "exotic" cases of child abuse being far and away beyond what could be construed as "discipline" or even "harsh discipline". We had a situation where a mentally or emotionally unstable parent could abuse a child at will, with virtually no recourse.
During the Late sixties and early seventies the hippie movement's use of mind altering drugs, and Hollywood's unveiling of films portraying children as "evil" or "possessed" led to an unprecedented string of "exotic abuse/murder" cases of children being killed by their emotionally unstable parents.
During this same time period Americas began to become even more mobile and transient in regards to their geographic locale than ever before.
This set the stage for public outcry against "abuse of children". Mikes Vacation is against the abuse of children. We naturally endorse the gentle and patient rearing of children.
However what has become of our well meaning movement to "not abuse" children has not been effectively replaced our old standard methods of spanking kids when they needed it.
Let me explain a little further. Prior to 1970 or so, virtually all of America was raised in the same general fashion. Disrespect to parents, teachers, and elders was a universally accepted taboo. Violating this taboo led to corporal punishment. As a general rule, this didn't lead to death, torture, or prison, it just led to a sassy kid getting whipped and brought back into line.
Since we have entered the period of criminalizing the spanking of children, we have not entered into what I would call the "pseudo-Utopian intellectual period" of child rearing.
Mikes Vacation tends to agree with the gentleman who believes that children could very well be raised without ever spanking them, and that two intelligent intellectuals with all the time in the world to supervise their child could raise a prodigy, without ever raising their hand once to that same child. Mikes Vacation both agrees with this "concept" and we like the idea of it.
HOWEVER: This modern forward thinking model of child rearing is not likely to be adopted in America anytime soon. The fact is that we are a country of very average people. These same people are too tired, too simple, and often too sub-collegiate to be able to function as "cerebral and educated" non-violent parents.
As a result of the criminalization of parents "spanking" children when necessary and the lack of a "universally implemented " non-violent model for child rearing our nations children have been raised in a "power vacuum" where they have been allowed to turn into little, and now large monsters.
The only method left to parents is to take their child to a psychiatrist and get "drugs" prescribed to help control unruly behavior. Is this our American dream, a nation of chemically restrained children? Is this better than an occasional whipping? I don't think so.
Who profits from our modern child abuse laws? Children as a group do not profit from being allowed to grow up without respect and consequences for their actions. Parents do not profit from suffering delinquent and unruly kids. Society itself doesn't profit from having our newest generation imbibe on pills to control their behavior. Perhaps there are some children in our country who don't die of abuse because of our new laws against the spanking of kids.
How do we quantify the days, months and years of our nations youth lost to reform school and ultimately jail because of their unchecked delinquency and emotional maladjustment? Is this not a price of our reliance on behavior altering drugs as opposed to an occasional whipping?
But lets consider for a moment who actually profits from a national policy criminalizing the spanking of our children. THE DRUG COMPANIES PROFIT!!!!!
THE DRUG COMPANIES ARE BEHIND THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO "PROTECT CHILDREN FROM ABUSE"!!!!!
Mikes Vacation believes that it will ultimately be proven that Drug Companies have financed the lobbying of our politicians to criminalized the corporal punishment of kids. They are the sole entities that have profited from our modern "no-spank" model of child rearing.
In summary, America had a very effective child rearing model up to the early seventies. We built a society that raised industries, and won wars, we engendered generations of heros, intellectuals and artists. The bulk of all that is great about America was raised under this model.
Our current model of drug pushing, and no spanking will not breed great men. It will only produce slackers with no souls.
We as a society need to construct a model, at least as productive as the one used to make this nation great. We need to be wary of the predators that would abuse this new model, predators such as drug companies and crooked politicians.
You can't replace a system that has been effective for 300, 500, or even 5000 years with something dreamed up in the marketing office of a drug company.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Time for Some Study and Reflection on Communism
Here at Mikes Vacation we enjoy viewing the kinds of videos you see posted below. We believe that it is good for the reader/s to review some of the source documents, persons, and manifestos that brought our beloved Soviet Union into being.
Mikes Vacation doesn't believe the Soviet Union was perfect, but we do believe she was grand and should be remembered with respect, and she should be studied for the lessons of her failures as well as for her successes.
Please enjoy our video compilation on Communism, Karl Marx, and the Communist Manifesto. In America, as well as the world, all we have is time. Mikes Vacation believes it is OK to remember the foundations of our grand Soviet Union's philosophies.
Communism Ruleshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2NGzpV8bD4&feature=related
Lecture on Karl Marx http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoZp177HDJ8
The Relevance of Karl Marxhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rldJqYIp0Y&feature=related
Karl Marx Biographyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VkjxyxktRs&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 1/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EMqMgx03iM&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 2/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYmIGL13GXo&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 3/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMkk-EXxorM&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 4/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX_f7VsyP0Y&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 5/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwPY6n8I8M4&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 6/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4kzAQNUHZ0&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 7/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYCO1tuEKWE&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 8/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1ftwayZnL0&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 9/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Setz1lj-9k&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 10/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paELtIwYOtk&feature=related
Mikes Vacation doesn't believe the Soviet Union was perfect, but we do believe she was grand and should be remembered with respect, and she should be studied for the lessons of her failures as well as for her successes.
Please enjoy our video compilation on Communism, Karl Marx, and the Communist Manifesto. In America, as well as the world, all we have is time. Mikes Vacation believes it is OK to remember the foundations of our grand Soviet Union's philosophies.
Communism Ruleshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2NGzpV8bD4&feature=related
Lecture on Karl Marx http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoZp177HDJ8
The Relevance of Karl Marxhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rldJqYIp0Y&feature=related
Karl Marx Biographyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VkjxyxktRs&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 1/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EMqMgx03iM&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 2/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYmIGL13GXo&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 3/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMkk-EXxorM&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 4/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX_f7VsyP0Y&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 5/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwPY6n8I8M4&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 6/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4kzAQNUHZ0&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 7/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYCO1tuEKWE&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 8/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1ftwayZnL0&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 9/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Setz1lj-9k&feature=related
Communist Manifesto 10/10http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paELtIwYOtk&feature=related
VASILY GORIN-- RUSSIAN HERO!!!!
Here is a short documentary describing the idyllic conditions on a Russian collective dairy farm.
The lives of the workers are excellent, life should be this good in the rest of Russia, or for that matter, America and the world!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoeLA_bzvMw&feature=channel
The lives of the workers are excellent, life should be this good in the rest of Russia, or for that matter, America and the world!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoeLA_bzvMw&feature=channel
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Erroneous Juxtaposition Impedes Democracy
I am interested in Soviet Era history as well as current events in Russia and Belarus. When I discuss any subject relating to the Soviets, or modern Russia I frequently hear disparaging remarks about Stalin, Putin, and Lukashenka.
I am a supporter of Putin, and Lukashenka, and a student of Stalin. I don't feel I know enough about Soviet issues and history to make final determinations about the character of Joseph Stalin.
It is very easy to attack a dead man. It is very easy to attack a man whose ideas are "out of fashion".
Mikes Vacation believes that Joseph Stalin led the Soviet Union to many successes, and he allowed for many sacrifices to achieve the same.
We must stop attacking heads of state without empirical and well thought evidence of their failure.
Attacks upon Joseph Stalin have traditionally been vehicles for sub-democratic policies here in America. When Stalin is referenced, his failures are juxtaposed against the speakers favored ideas. Frequently this is done to insight an emotional response on the part of the listener. When successful this can only allow a "new idea" or "inspirational thought" to not be scrutinized completely. This allows for "sub-standard" ideas to sometimes flourish. If done on a grand or national scale, this prevents the public from fully contemplating these ideas, and undermines the foundation of democracy: CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF IDEAS.
Anyone who advocates an empirical examination of the debated facts at hand is assumed to be fond of Stalin's wrongdoings.
The Soviet Union did achieve some success during Stalin's tenure. Can we not learn something from these victories that is useful here in America?
When a politician or leader juxtaposes an idea he is supports with Soviet Era failures, the American public should have screaming Klaxon Horns going off in their minds alerting them to think carefully about what they are hearing.
I have included some media that attack and flatter Stalin. You will see both the glory and horror of Soviet bygone days.
You will also please note there are two attachments about the United States. They expose our glory, and our poverty. (only a fraction of glory and problems)
These media are not intended to present an exact chronological comparison of the two countries. It is not possible to compare the Soviet Union with the United States at virtually any specific time period and be able to make an "apples to apples " comparison. This is because our two countries were in different conditions at different times owing to war, industrial development, literacy, etc.
However, if comparisons are made allowing for these developmental differences you can see that in our limelight and glory America still had problems.
Is it not possible for the Soviet Union to have had some "limelight" to go along with her problems?
Glory to Stalin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9ScChTcCag
Joseph Stalin and Communist crimeshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBvEUiU5-ZI
Soviet People and Their Liveshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwPG-HstVEg&feature=related
Kolymahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J8mFAhHDC4&feature=related
FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT'S "D-DAY PRAYER TO THE NATION" (JUNE 6,1944) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7YZtCViLt8
The Dirty '30s: poverty in a nutshellhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx_OM3AZoIc
I am a supporter of Putin, and Lukashenka, and a student of Stalin. I don't feel I know enough about Soviet issues and history to make final determinations about the character of Joseph Stalin.
It is very easy to attack a dead man. It is very easy to attack a man whose ideas are "out of fashion".
Mikes Vacation believes that Joseph Stalin led the Soviet Union to many successes, and he allowed for many sacrifices to achieve the same.
We must stop attacking heads of state without empirical and well thought evidence of their failure.
Attacks upon Joseph Stalin have traditionally been vehicles for sub-democratic policies here in America. When Stalin is referenced, his failures are juxtaposed against the speakers favored ideas. Frequently this is done to insight an emotional response on the part of the listener. When successful this can only allow a "new idea" or "inspirational thought" to not be scrutinized completely. This allows for "sub-standard" ideas to sometimes flourish. If done on a grand or national scale, this prevents the public from fully contemplating these ideas, and undermines the foundation of democracy: CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF IDEAS.
Anyone who advocates an empirical examination of the debated facts at hand is assumed to be fond of Stalin's wrongdoings.
The Soviet Union did achieve some success during Stalin's tenure. Can we not learn something from these victories that is useful here in America?
When a politician or leader juxtaposes an idea he is supports with Soviet Era failures, the American public should have screaming Klaxon Horns going off in their minds alerting them to think carefully about what they are hearing.
I have included some media that attack and flatter Stalin. You will see both the glory and horror of Soviet bygone days.
You will also please note there are two attachments about the United States. They expose our glory, and our poverty. (only a fraction of glory and problems)
These media are not intended to present an exact chronological comparison of the two countries. It is not possible to compare the Soviet Union with the United States at virtually any specific time period and be able to make an "apples to apples " comparison. This is because our two countries were in different conditions at different times owing to war, industrial development, literacy, etc.
However, if comparisons are made allowing for these developmental differences you can see that in our limelight and glory America still had problems.
Is it not possible for the Soviet Union to have had some "limelight" to go along with her problems?
Glory to Stalin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9ScChTcCag
Joseph Stalin and Communist crimeshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBvEUiU5-ZI
Soviet People and Their Liveshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwPG-HstVEg&feature=related
Kolymahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J8mFAhHDC4&feature=related
FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT'S "D-DAY PRAYER TO THE NATION" (JUNE 6,1944) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7YZtCViLt8
The Dirty '30s: poverty in a nutshellhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx_OM3AZoIc
THE DESTINY OF MAN
Mikes Vacation proudly endorses and reccomends THE DESTINY OF MAN. This film will make its own impression on the moviegoer, and needs no validation from us.
Here is a 1959 New York Times Review of this magnificent film.
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/89270/Destiny-of-a-Man/overview
Below you will find parts 1-10 of this film.
Part 1- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng-uhFlbVIA
Part 2-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRzDIICYUaw&feature=related
Part 3_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJBVY1lWsWA&feature=related
Part 4- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdRhdcbxTs&feature=related
Part 5- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDdttlokmBs&feature=related
Part 6- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lVlo5ZxIGU&feature=related
Part 7- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_EGiQ6SkV8&feature=related
Part 8- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lbR25TsN-Y&feature=related
Part 9- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rwIV8V6JRU&feature=related
Part 10-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKrbVmiJZtI&feature=related
Dear Reader, if you have enjoyed this film, perhaps you will enjoy this documentary on its author. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuTzsNCTKeQ&feature=related
Here is a 1959 New York Times Review of this magnificent film.
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/89270/Destiny-of-a-Man/overview
Below you will find parts 1-10 of this film.
Part 1- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng-uhFlbVIA
Part 2-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRzDIICYUaw&feature=related
Part 3_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJBVY1lWsWA&feature=related
Part 4- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdRhdcbxTs&feature=related
Part 5- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDdttlokmBs&feature=related
Part 6- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lVlo5ZxIGU&feature=related
Part 7- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_EGiQ6SkV8&feature=related
Part 8- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lbR25TsN-Y&feature=related
Part 9- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rwIV8V6JRU&feature=related
Part 10-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKrbVmiJZtI&feature=related
Dear Reader, if you have enjoyed this film, perhaps you will enjoy this documentary on its author. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuTzsNCTKeQ&feature=related
Friday, April 17, 2009
OBAMA'S GREATEST CHALLENGE
The greatest challenge to any modern president of the United States will be to hold the union together without resorting to murder, torture, or other draconian measures.
The United States is confronted with multiple problems ranging from a failing currency, lagging economy, and a gentility vacuum. These problems are a result of the American people being unwilling to intellectually confront complex issues and instead allowing special interest "fiefdoms" to come to power over Washington. These special interest "fiefdoms" have taken advantage of the intellectually lethargic American public and trained the public via clever media campaigns and subversive social engineering programs to be reactionary and impressionable. The vast majority of our population is conditioned to respond in an emotional rather than cerebral way to "artificial issues" placed before us by our politicians in Washington, at the inspiration of the special interest "fiefdoms".
The American public could snap its fingers and fix these problems, but as stated above, most of them are not sophisticated enough to understand what is wrong, much less make corrections.
Small democracies have an easier time managing their federal governments. When politicians serve millions it is harder for the little guy on the street to get his opinion noticed by them.
When citizens are faced with hundreds, or thousands of miles between them and their leaders it is also difficult for them to have their opinions heard.
Ultimately people must begin to ask themselves whether or not they would be better off not being attached to a broken democracy. Freedom loving, intelligent Americans must ultimately decide whether or not they want to be "held back" or "oppressed" by the venom and sloth of those who choose to make substandard choices.
Countries and empires collapse because the central governments fail the people they serve. Populations decide they no longer want to be "yoked" or "stifled" by the mistakes of a broken political machine.
Economically stable and prosperous countries do not collapse. If America begins to feel the pain of a fallen currency, combined with an anemic economy, we must begin to decide whom is to blame.
The ironic, catch 22 of blaming Washington DC is that we as Americans are actually behind the failure of our own system. We can't blame Washington for endless blunders when we elect the same men we find fault with.
What if Texans or Vermontonians want to change their lives for the better? What if the rest of the country decides to remain members of the personality cult of special interest "fiefdoms"?
It may ultimately be the correct decision for some states to go forth by themselves.
This was the cause of the Civil War. The name "civil war" is actually a misnomer. Our country's most devastating war wasn't a "civil war". It was an attempt at succession by the south. This was caused by the impending economic disaster. This same disaster was due to the lifting of tariffs on European textile products that would have destroyed the economy of the south.
The greatest challenge to Obama, or any future president will be to hold our union of states together without resorting to methods perpendicular to the reasons our forefathers embarked on the same union.
The Russians for years have been predicting our demise as a union of states. While it may be true that some of their nay saying may simply be geopoliticly inspired propaganda, they also have identified many serious problems that could become deadly malignancies to our union.
We now have the governor of Texas actually discussing issues about succession. An open discussion by such a prominent man will undoubtedly inspire the same discussion to happen in the general population. This is an important first step for the dissolution of our union.
MikesVacation believes that if our country is correctly run, and our democracy is maintained by a cerebral populace, we are stronger together than separate. Our entire population of 300 million people will be better off standing united.
MikesVacation also believes that Texas and Vermont would likely function better broken off as their own county's if conditions in the United States continue to progress in a negative fashion.
Obama must begin an emergency program to fix the state of broken democracy we now endure. He must begin to imagine conditions that would cause our union to dissolve, and implement their immediate fixture.
America is not on the verge of collapse, Texas is not going to succeed tomorrow, Vermont is not ready to stand alone. However the precursor elements of an American collapse not unlike that of the Soviet Union are in place. These same elements must be negated with education, industry and honest statesmanship.
If our early malignancies are not addressed immediately, Obama, or future another future president will have the choice of passively seeing our country dissolve bit by bit, or of using methods averse to our normal constitutional process to slow or stop the process.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,504384,00.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30252723/?gt1=43001
http://www.freestateproject.org/
The United States is confronted with multiple problems ranging from a failing currency, lagging economy, and a gentility vacuum. These problems are a result of the American people being unwilling to intellectually confront complex issues and instead allowing special interest "fiefdoms" to come to power over Washington. These special interest "fiefdoms" have taken advantage of the intellectually lethargic American public and trained the public via clever media campaigns and subversive social engineering programs to be reactionary and impressionable. The vast majority of our population is conditioned to respond in an emotional rather than cerebral way to "artificial issues" placed before us by our politicians in Washington, at the inspiration of the special interest "fiefdoms".
The American public could snap its fingers and fix these problems, but as stated above, most of them are not sophisticated enough to understand what is wrong, much less make corrections.
Small democracies have an easier time managing their federal governments. When politicians serve millions it is harder for the little guy on the street to get his opinion noticed by them.
When citizens are faced with hundreds, or thousands of miles between them and their leaders it is also difficult for them to have their opinions heard.
Ultimately people must begin to ask themselves whether or not they would be better off not being attached to a broken democracy. Freedom loving, intelligent Americans must ultimately decide whether or not they want to be "held back" or "oppressed" by the venom and sloth of those who choose to make substandard choices.
Countries and empires collapse because the central governments fail the people they serve. Populations decide they no longer want to be "yoked" or "stifled" by the mistakes of a broken political machine.
Economically stable and prosperous countries do not collapse. If America begins to feel the pain of a fallen currency, combined with an anemic economy, we must begin to decide whom is to blame.
The ironic, catch 22 of blaming Washington DC is that we as Americans are actually behind the failure of our own system. We can't blame Washington for endless blunders when we elect the same men we find fault with.
What if Texans or Vermontonians want to change their lives for the better? What if the rest of the country decides to remain members of the personality cult of special interest "fiefdoms"?
It may ultimately be the correct decision for some states to go forth by themselves.
This was the cause of the Civil War. The name "civil war" is actually a misnomer. Our country's most devastating war wasn't a "civil war". It was an attempt at succession by the south. This was caused by the impending economic disaster. This same disaster was due to the lifting of tariffs on European textile products that would have destroyed the economy of the south.
The greatest challenge to Obama, or any future president will be to hold our union of states together without resorting to methods perpendicular to the reasons our forefathers embarked on the same union.
The Russians for years have been predicting our demise as a union of states. While it may be true that some of their nay saying may simply be geopoliticly inspired propaganda, they also have identified many serious problems that could become deadly malignancies to our union.
We now have the governor of Texas actually discussing issues about succession. An open discussion by such a prominent man will undoubtedly inspire the same discussion to happen in the general population. This is an important first step for the dissolution of our union.
MikesVacation believes that if our country is correctly run, and our democracy is maintained by a cerebral populace, we are stronger together than separate. Our entire population of 300 million people will be better off standing united.
MikesVacation also believes that Texas and Vermont would likely function better broken off as their own county's if conditions in the United States continue to progress in a negative fashion.
Obama must begin an emergency program to fix the state of broken democracy we now endure. He must begin to imagine conditions that would cause our union to dissolve, and implement their immediate fixture.
America is not on the verge of collapse, Texas is not going to succeed tomorrow, Vermont is not ready to stand alone. However the precursor elements of an American collapse not unlike that of the Soviet Union are in place. These same elements must be negated with education, industry and honest statesmanship.
If our early malignancies are not addressed immediately, Obama, or future another future president will have the choice of passively seeing our country dissolve bit by bit, or of using methods averse to our normal constitutional process to slow or stop the process.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,504384,00.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30252723/?gt1=43001
http://www.freestateproject.org/
Thursday, April 16, 2009
OBAMA'S FIRST FAILURE
Dear Reader/s,
A very sad day in American history has come to pass. After the long "dark age" of the Bush administration, our newest and greatest hope has failed us.
The war crimes that were committed by the CIA will not be prosecuted. This is decreed from our new president Obama.
War crimes must be punished, because their punishment serves as a warning to future perpetrators. War criminals of the future must know that they will not be able to escape their deeds.
No one man may give another permission to commit war crimes, or crimes against humanity. If the Justice Department gave the CIA permission to torture POW's or kidnap victims, this doesn't absolve CIA war criminals for their deeds. It is impossible for any orgainization to give permission to any individual or organization to commit war crimes.
Hitler's Gestapo had full authorization for the tortures it carried out, the SS running concentration camps had full authorization for its atrocities. This does not absolve them for their deeds.
The very nature of WAR CRIMES and CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY is that they cannot every be "authorized, legalized, or absolved".
As a constitutional scholar President Obama should be aware that the war crimes committed by the CIA are dangerous not simply because they were crimes committed against undesirables.
These same crimes were threats against the American People's freedom from similar tortures and intrusions. These crimes and their precursor elements were unnecessary attacks against the safety of Americans against the same.
When it becomes legal for the CIA to slap, cramp, sleep deprive, etc Muslim undesirables, it also becomes just a little bit easier for an over zealous policeman to "mugg" a suspect, or plant evidence on him.
When the President of our nation allows these offences to go without retribution, it will ultimately engender Muslims who were sitting on the fence to become sympathetic with those that have been mistreated and their radical causes.
If our President were to pursue level headed prosecution of those that have committed crimes, our nation would begin to regain much desperately need respect in both first and third world arenas.
There is also the problem of what will happen should the United States fall into the hands of another ethically vacuous and malevolent president such as George Bush. If previous offenses are allowed to be forgiven, what motivates future CIA agents from committing similar crimes?
Our nation has failed to demand from Obama a promise to bring CIA criminals to justice before he was elected. Our nation will likely fail to inspire him during his tenure to reverse this decision and correctly punish the correctly guilty.
Obama is for all intents and purposes a decent and intelligent man. As a nation we will now begin to pay the price for his first failure.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30249847
A very sad day in American history has come to pass. After the long "dark age" of the Bush administration, our newest and greatest hope has failed us.
The war crimes that were committed by the CIA will not be prosecuted. This is decreed from our new president Obama.
War crimes must be punished, because their punishment serves as a warning to future perpetrators. War criminals of the future must know that they will not be able to escape their deeds.
No one man may give another permission to commit war crimes, or crimes against humanity. If the Justice Department gave the CIA permission to torture POW's or kidnap victims, this doesn't absolve CIA war criminals for their deeds. It is impossible for any orgainization to give permission to any individual or organization to commit war crimes.
Hitler's Gestapo had full authorization for the tortures it carried out, the SS running concentration camps had full authorization for its atrocities. This does not absolve them for their deeds.
The very nature of WAR CRIMES and CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY is that they cannot every be "authorized, legalized, or absolved".
As a constitutional scholar President Obama should be aware that the war crimes committed by the CIA are dangerous not simply because they were crimes committed against undesirables.
These same crimes were threats against the American People's freedom from similar tortures and intrusions. These crimes and their precursor elements were unnecessary attacks against the safety of Americans against the same.
When it becomes legal for the CIA to slap, cramp, sleep deprive, etc Muslim undesirables, it also becomes just a little bit easier for an over zealous policeman to "mugg" a suspect, or plant evidence on him.
When the President of our nation allows these offences to go without retribution, it will ultimately engender Muslims who were sitting on the fence to become sympathetic with those that have been mistreated and their radical causes.
If our President were to pursue level headed prosecution of those that have committed crimes, our nation would begin to regain much desperately need respect in both first and third world arenas.
There is also the problem of what will happen should the United States fall into the hands of another ethically vacuous and malevolent president such as George Bush. If previous offenses are allowed to be forgiven, what motivates future CIA agents from committing similar crimes?
Our nation has failed to demand from Obama a promise to bring CIA criminals to justice before he was elected. Our nation will likely fail to inspire him during his tenure to reverse this decision and correctly punish the correctly guilty.
Obama is for all intents and purposes a decent and intelligent man. As a nation we will now begin to pay the price for his first failure.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30249847
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry FESTIVUS, or Happy Festivus, err FESTIVUS!!
Dear Readers,
The editors, writers, and producers of Mike's Vacation (the guy that found the laptop),
Are faithful enjoyers of the "seinfeld" comedy series. One episode describes the homemade Christmas holiday of "festivus".
It seems one of the characters George Castanza has a rather colorful and creative father who invented the holiday of "festivus" to be an every mans Christmas holiday .
Watch the following links, and enjoy "A FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US!!"
Folks, while these might not be the most traditional video clips to watch on Christmas, we here/me here at Mike's Vacation believe that if you are actually looking at this blog on Christmas, you are ready for FESTIVUS!!!!!! LOL LOL. :) :)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=I-wm9N0KiAs&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=HQFLqMyo0fo
Mike Miller aka
Mike Castanza,
aka
Mike Pekar,
aka, ho ho ho. :) :)
Indiana,
2007
Remember the micro moments with your loved ones, these micro moments are so easy to rush through, undersell, and forget. However they are indeed, exactly what life is all about. When it is all said and done, all of our money, and time, and health are really just vehicles to help us live innumerable micro moments of technicolor high quality, and vibrance, and hopefully to remember and cherish the same.
The editors, writers, and producers of Mike's Vacation (the guy that found the laptop),
Are faithful enjoyers of the "seinfeld" comedy series. One episode describes the homemade Christmas holiday of "festivus".
It seems one of the characters George Castanza has a rather colorful and creative father who invented the holiday of "festivus" to be an every mans Christmas holiday .
Watch the following links, and enjoy "A FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US!!"
Folks, while these might not be the most traditional video clips to watch on Christmas, we here/me here at Mike's Vacation believe that if you are actually looking at this blog on Christmas, you are ready for FESTIVUS!!!!!! LOL LOL. :) :)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=I-wm9N0KiAs&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=HQFLqMyo0fo
Mike Miller aka
Mike Castanza,
aka
Mike Pekar,
aka, ho ho ho. :) :)
Indiana,
2007
Remember the micro moments with your loved ones, these micro moments are so easy to rush through, undersell, and forget. However they are indeed, exactly what life is all about. When it is all said and done, all of our money, and time, and health are really just vehicles to help us live innumerable micro moments of technicolor high quality, and vibrance, and hopefully to remember and cherish the same.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Winter Festival Christmas and Christian Christmas
Dear Readers,
As most of you are aware, I have been on a long and pleasurable conversion to Judaism.
You are also likely aware that I have traditionally, and hopefully will , always enjoy Christmas. These ideas might seem to conflict with one another until I define just exactly what I mean by "enjoy Christmas."
Firstly, let me STATE EMPHATICALLY that I have ABSOLUTELY NEVER had any personal belief in the religion of Christianity. When I was very young, I didn't "have faith" or otherwise recognize its validity as the surprme monotheistic religion.
As an adult, not only do I not believe in it as a religion, I don't like it as a religion. I don't begrudge my Christian friends their right to believe in what ever religion they please, to include Christianity, but it just simply isn't for me.
As an American, I find the Christmas season to be a powerful and colorful holiday. I have been able to identify two distinct, and yet sometimes intertwined holidays celebrated here in America during our "Christmas season".
The first and foremost is what I call "Winter Festival Christmas." The second is "Christian Christmas."
Christian Christmas is fairly obvious to identify, it involves conscious and considered religious devotion to the birthday of the Christian messiah Jesus. The celebration of Christian Christmas might have some or many trappings of Winter Festival Christmas as decorations, but it is essentially a religious celebration of the birth of the Christian messiah.
Winter Festival Christmas is all of the color and pageantry of the American Christmas season to include, SANTA CLAUS, lights, presents, egg nog, many Christmas Carols, the Christmas tree, and among other things ,the wonderful feeling of happiness and good will towards men that seems to readily come forth during this holiday. This is the Christmas I love and heartily celebrate!!
I truly love Winter Festival Christmas!! It is a beautiful, fun, and American holiday. It is true that other countries celebrate some form of Winter Festival Christmas in addition to Christian Christmas, however Americans have made this particular holiday into a super duper experience unrivaled by any other holiday globally. I am speaking of Winter Festival Christmas when I say "super duper".
Most countries have their religious holidays, and I am not comparing one religion to another in this article. I am merely trying to make distinct for the reader just exactly what kind of Christmas I enjoy.
If you have any doubts over whether or not Winter Festival Christmas is a real or worthy holiday, please see the below video links...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vPaGQEskSKM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XSH9ryRzHQ4
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAY I PRESENT FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE, A "SUPER DUPER " MOVIE--- THE CHRISTMAS STORY!!!!!!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uZieW2F90Is
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-8GDTqsAl_U&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UZ6HCcEIURU&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=huhh2jw5UUg&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=utM_Uk3aA9c&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3d3u5l-dqx0&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sz4lC7XH5S0&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mz9HkyowGb8&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5Dl2mWJjlUE&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_53Ie8jOSl8&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=L7yaV4dPD-Q&feature=related
Merry Christmas !!!!
Ho Ho Ho!!!!
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
As most of you are aware, I have been on a long and pleasurable conversion to Judaism.
You are also likely aware that I have traditionally, and hopefully will , always enjoy Christmas. These ideas might seem to conflict with one another until I define just exactly what I mean by "enjoy Christmas."
Firstly, let me STATE EMPHATICALLY that I have ABSOLUTELY NEVER had any personal belief in the religion of Christianity. When I was very young, I didn't "have faith" or otherwise recognize its validity as the surprme monotheistic religion.
As an adult, not only do I not believe in it as a religion, I don't like it as a religion. I don't begrudge my Christian friends their right to believe in what ever religion they please, to include Christianity, but it just simply isn't for me.
As an American, I find the Christmas season to be a powerful and colorful holiday. I have been able to identify two distinct, and yet sometimes intertwined holidays celebrated here in America during our "Christmas season".
The first and foremost is what I call "Winter Festival Christmas." The second is "Christian Christmas."
Christian Christmas is fairly obvious to identify, it involves conscious and considered religious devotion to the birthday of the Christian messiah Jesus. The celebration of Christian Christmas might have some or many trappings of Winter Festival Christmas as decorations, but it is essentially a religious celebration of the birth of the Christian messiah.
Winter Festival Christmas is all of the color and pageantry of the American Christmas season to include, SANTA CLAUS, lights, presents, egg nog, many Christmas Carols, the Christmas tree, and among other things ,the wonderful feeling of happiness and good will towards men that seems to readily come forth during this holiday. This is the Christmas I love and heartily celebrate!!
I truly love Winter Festival Christmas!! It is a beautiful, fun, and American holiday. It is true that other countries celebrate some form of Winter Festival Christmas in addition to Christian Christmas, however Americans have made this particular holiday into a super duper experience unrivaled by any other holiday globally. I am speaking of Winter Festival Christmas when I say "super duper".
Most countries have their religious holidays, and I am not comparing one religion to another in this article. I am merely trying to make distinct for the reader just exactly what kind of Christmas I enjoy.
If you have any doubts over whether or not Winter Festival Christmas is a real or worthy holiday, please see the below video links...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vPaGQEskSKM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XSH9ryRzHQ4
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MAY I PRESENT FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE, A "SUPER DUPER " MOVIE--- THE CHRISTMAS STORY!!!!!!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uZieW2F90Is
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-8GDTqsAl_U&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UZ6HCcEIURU&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=huhh2jw5UUg&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=utM_Uk3aA9c&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3d3u5l-dqx0&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sz4lC7XH5S0&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mz9HkyowGb8&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5Dl2mWJjlUE&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_53Ie8jOSl8&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=L7yaV4dPD-Q&feature=related
Merry Christmas !!!!
Ho Ho Ho!!!!
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
THE COOLEST WHITE MAN IN THE WORLD--LOUIS PRIMA!!
Dear Readers,
Mike's Vacation has always loved the music, and culture and lore of the great Louis Prima!
His music lives on forever, and will NEVER DIE!!
Here are some cool links about the master, and as a side note, if some of you are ever interested in purchasing music by the master, I suggest buying a LaserLight CD. This was K-marts brand of music that was sold in the discount bin at the back of the store for about 1 dollar.
Laser Light as produced a cd of old Louis Prima, including some stuff that you can't find in a record store. Anyway, enjoy the following links, take yourself and a loved one out for some pasta, and let some real pinache and style flow through your veins even if it is only for a while .
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present for your viewing and listening pleasure,, LOUIS PRIMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Urw6e0aCDJc&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=G-8CLaKPEfU&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VC-4dF2UFnI
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QTO5jc71fbE&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYC3gEnZs&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nnlKBBj_o_8
http://youtube.com/watch?v=G-8CLaKPEfU&feature=related
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
Mike's Vacation has always loved the music, and culture and lore of the great Louis Prima!
His music lives on forever, and will NEVER DIE!!
Here are some cool links about the master, and as a side note, if some of you are ever interested in purchasing music by the master, I suggest buying a LaserLight CD. This was K-marts brand of music that was sold in the discount bin at the back of the store for about 1 dollar.
Laser Light as produced a cd of old Louis Prima, including some stuff that you can't find in a record store. Anyway, enjoy the following links, take yourself and a loved one out for some pasta, and let some real pinache and style flow through your veins even if it is only for a while .
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present for your viewing and listening pleasure,, LOUIS PRIMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Urw6e0aCDJc&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=G-8CLaKPEfU&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VC-4dF2UFnI
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QTO5jc71fbE&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WxBYC3gEnZs&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nnlKBBj_o_8
http://youtube.com/watch?v=G-8CLaKPEfU&feature=related
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
THE WAR OF BROKEN HEARTS
Most thoughtful Americans are now shaking their heads in shame and embarrassment when discussing our criminal invasion of Iraq.
Perhaps we are too busy to be organizing massive protests and starting grass roots movements to prosecute and punish our countrymen who are culpable, but we are sharing our shame with friends and loved ones freely and in agreement.
Most of us are ashamed of the rockets and missiles and bullets and bombs that have been thrown at the Iraqis, and the same that have killed and crippled our own soldiers and marines.
Many of us are worried about our international reputation today, and in the years to come.
Some people talk about terrorism being fostered and provoked instead of destroyed.
Most of us are aware of the tangible aspects of the physical and economic and political destruction that has been wrought in this criminal adventure.
What about our nations broken hearts? What about all our soldiers and marines who haven't seen their wives, haven't had the opportunity to hold and love them? What about the pain of our soldiers who have to imagine playing with their children instead of actually feeling and touching them?
What about the divorces and broken homes that will be the result of so many men away from their wives for so long?
What about the kids that will be raised in broken homes because husbands and wives have grown apart from the distance, and time and stress?
What about these same kids that won't have lived in a nuclear family model and will now be more likely to fail at their future marriages because of this same negative familial inertia they are raised in?
I won't even bother to describe the broken hearts of the Iraqi's, decorum in this article doesn't permit me to describe what life must be like in modern Iraq for a little girl without a daddy, or a woman without her husband.
Was any of this pain and misery really worth the luxury of a nation too inebreated in its intellectual sloth to not have stopped all this madness before it happened?
Are we as a nation proud of the fact that a giant percentage of us were seduced by a South Texas accent, an expensive haircut, and a glad handed smile with nothing else to offer.
Are we not tired of being political "serfs, pawns, and slaves" to whatever evil machination has hijacked our military and federal government?
When are we going to develop a national conscious that prevents war criminals from ordering our sons to sack weaker countries for nebulous causes?
When you are watching the news and see explosions, and the physical injuries of war, remember that there are other injuries to this war, wounds harder to photo and graph.
What is the real cost of a broken heart? How many of our countryman's hearts are now broken?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AHbcGeIilss
Dear Readers, I hope that Mike's Vacation doesn't attract any readers stupid enough to think that it is OK for our soldiers and marines to be suffering in this war because it is "their duty". I hope that no reader of mine would actually mouth the words "well they signed up for the military understanding the risks". I honestly hope I have nobody that damned dumb reading my blog. In case there are some of you that hear these trite sentiments uttered, please kindly remind the offenders that our soldiers and marines volunteer for duty to serve and protect our country and are willing to give their lives if necessary, however none of them signed up to participate in a "war crime". None of them signed up to defend a patriot act "soured democracy", none of them signed up to defend a constitution amended to oxidize their rights at home to make easier their suffering in a criminal adventure. There is a social contract signed by our government with our soldiers that largely includes the idea that our military will be used for the violent protection of our land and interests. This social contract also provisos that the government will be judicious in is employment of this same violent force and will not allow our sons and brothers in uniform to suffer unnecessarily, or for a criminal and erroneous cause. Our country's "salt of the earth" sons and brothers comprise the bulk of our nations enlisted ranks. These men are raised to have a sense of right and wrong, and of fair play. For this trust to be betrayed, and for the "handshake agreement" that seals the aforementioned "social contract" to be violated is no less than an absolute outrage.
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
Perhaps we are too busy to be organizing massive protests and starting grass roots movements to prosecute and punish our countrymen who are culpable, but we are sharing our shame with friends and loved ones freely and in agreement.
Most of us are ashamed of the rockets and missiles and bullets and bombs that have been thrown at the Iraqis, and the same that have killed and crippled our own soldiers and marines.
Many of us are worried about our international reputation today, and in the years to come.
Some people talk about terrorism being fostered and provoked instead of destroyed.
Most of us are aware of the tangible aspects of the physical and economic and political destruction that has been wrought in this criminal adventure.
What about our nations broken hearts? What about all our soldiers and marines who haven't seen their wives, haven't had the opportunity to hold and love them? What about the pain of our soldiers who have to imagine playing with their children instead of actually feeling and touching them?
What about the divorces and broken homes that will be the result of so many men away from their wives for so long?
What about the kids that will be raised in broken homes because husbands and wives have grown apart from the distance, and time and stress?
What about these same kids that won't have lived in a nuclear family model and will now be more likely to fail at their future marriages because of this same negative familial inertia they are raised in?
I won't even bother to describe the broken hearts of the Iraqi's, decorum in this article doesn't permit me to describe what life must be like in modern Iraq for a little girl without a daddy, or a woman without her husband.
Was any of this pain and misery really worth the luxury of a nation too inebreated in its intellectual sloth to not have stopped all this madness before it happened?
Are we as a nation proud of the fact that a giant percentage of us were seduced by a South Texas accent, an expensive haircut, and a glad handed smile with nothing else to offer.
Are we not tired of being political "serfs, pawns, and slaves" to whatever evil machination has hijacked our military and federal government?
When are we going to develop a national conscious that prevents war criminals from ordering our sons to sack weaker countries for nebulous causes?
When you are watching the news and see explosions, and the physical injuries of war, remember that there are other injuries to this war, wounds harder to photo and graph.
What is the real cost of a broken heart? How many of our countryman's hearts are now broken?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AHbcGeIilss
Dear Readers, I hope that Mike's Vacation doesn't attract any readers stupid enough to think that it is OK for our soldiers and marines to be suffering in this war because it is "their duty". I hope that no reader of mine would actually mouth the words "well they signed up for the military understanding the risks". I honestly hope I have nobody that damned dumb reading my blog. In case there are some of you that hear these trite sentiments uttered, please kindly remind the offenders that our soldiers and marines volunteer for duty to serve and protect our country and are willing to give their lives if necessary, however none of them signed up to participate in a "war crime". None of them signed up to defend a patriot act "soured democracy", none of them signed up to defend a constitution amended to oxidize their rights at home to make easier their suffering in a criminal adventure. There is a social contract signed by our government with our soldiers that largely includes the idea that our military will be used for the violent protection of our land and interests. This social contract also provisos that the government will be judicious in is employment of this same violent force and will not allow our sons and brothers in uniform to suffer unnecessarily, or for a criminal and erroneous cause. Our country's "salt of the earth" sons and brothers comprise the bulk of our nations enlisted ranks. These men are raised to have a sense of right and wrong, and of fair play. For this trust to be betrayed, and for the "handshake agreement" that seals the aforementioned "social contract" to be violated is no less than an absolute outrage.
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
THESE RUSSIANS WILL DO ANYTHING FOR A DRINK!!
Dear Readers,
Here is an interesting piece about wreck diving in the arctic sea.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_A0pVK6v1IM&feature=user
Now that is what I call chilled vodka!!
Na Starovia!!
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
Here is an interesting piece about wreck diving in the arctic sea.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_A0pVK6v1IM&feature=user
Now that is what I call chilled vodka!!
Na Starovia!!
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
LAUREL AND HARDY, GENIUS IN BLACK AND WHITE
Dear Readers,
Mikes Vacation endorses the watching of Laurel and Hardy in glorious black and white.
Any comedy that was done in good taste almost a hundred years ago, and can still entetain today is pure gold!
Our country is richer for the likes of Stan and Oliver. When you have nothing to do, and it is dark, and time for bed, but you have a few minutes of energy left, share some time with the celluloid ghosts of days gone by.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=64o6s8PmnoE
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lOpP70-IyjE&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Arajua9lxYA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nNjPgE1muTM&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jDVO1R-7I7Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpvxTyzOM_A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7mq-wzFovw&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0yoPb-amgbs&feature=related
damn it boys, why did you have to up and die on us!? !? !? (:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fjQIEepbfPA&feature=related
Dear Stanley and Oliver, on behalf of our silly country, thanks for the laughs!!
Mike Miller,
Indiana,
2007
Mikes Vacation endorses the watching of Laurel and Hardy in glorious black and white.
Any comedy that was done in good taste almost a hundred years ago, and can still entetain today is pure gold!
Our country is richer for the likes of Stan and Oliver. When you have nothing to do, and it is dark, and time for bed, but you have a few minutes of energy left, share some time with the celluloid ghosts of days gone by.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=64o6s8PmnoE
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lOpP70-IyjE&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Arajua9lxYA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nNjPgE1muTM&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jDVO1R-7I7Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpvxTyzOM_A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7mq-wzFovw&feature=related
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0yoPb-amgbs&feature=related
damn it boys, why did you have to up and die on us!? !? !? (:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fjQIEepbfPA&feature=related
Dear Stanley and Oliver, on behalf of our silly country, thanks for the laughs!!
Mike Miller,
Indiana,
2007
REMEMBER THE PARTISANS!!! FRENCH, BELARUSIAN, IRAQI !!
Dear Readers,
Partisan forces have played a role in most wars throughout history. Their presence was fiercely felt during WW2/The Patriotic War.
The French Partisans played an important role before , during and after D- Day . They blew up supplies and linkages, assassinated troops, and helped downed Allied airmen evade capture. Their methods were often unconventional, and when captured they were mostly tortured horribly, then executed.
The Belorussian Partisans played a larger role in destroying Nazis, as their numbers were larger, and they enjoyed a much greater natural protection from the dense virgin forests of Belarus. They also were tortured, and executed when captured.
In order to "capture" a Partisan, either French or Belorussian, the Germans used informants, collaborators, and spies. Sometimes persons merely suspected of ties to the Partisans were arrested and tortured, and mostly murdered.
Any invading force will face Partisan resistance if their invasion is against the will of the people. The level of resistance faced by an invader is proportionate to the criminality of their invasion and the degree the native peoples desire their exit.
Collaborators have historically been murdered and tortured by Partisans when discovered. This is because the collaborators themselves are ultimately responsible for the same treatment of Partisans by the primary criminal invaders.
Has anyone noticed that the History Channel has not been airing any documentaries about WW2 era French Partisans lately? You should think about this.
It is very convenient to label anyone in Iraq opposing our criminal presence there as a "terrorist", or an "insurgent". However, could their individual politics and their combat techniques not sometimes more precisely qualify them as "partisans". ?
It is correct to say that the "legitimate partisan resistance" faced by US forces in Iraq is in direct proportion to our level of legal and criminal legitimacy in the same country.
It is not correct to "imprison without trial, torture, or murder" men conducting "legitimate partisan actions " against a criminal invader (that's us) on their own home soil.
The first video is dedicated to Russian Partisans in the Patriotic War/WW2. The next link takes you to an older issue of Mikes Vacation where the Belarusian film COME AND SEE is reviewed with links so you can view it.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vcTJ_JKV3tc
(just kindly cut and past this in the address bar, I'll fix the link later)
http://mikesvacation.blogspot.com/2007/08/come-and-see.html
This video is about the French Resistance in WW2.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Wyt2OD5qfeY
Mikes Vacation dedicates the following music video to the "legitimate partisans" conducting actions against US military forces that would have been considered "legal" for the French or Belorussians to conduct against the Nazis. This video is not dedicated to terrorists, and it is not intended to celebrate the tragic loss of innocent American life as a result of this criminal invasion.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0KL_fgWgK40&feature=related
Mikes Vacation dedicates this video to the innocent American soldiers that have been maimed or killed as a result of our current criminal invasion of Iraq.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sTRBPCcJwhE
Readers please note: Mikes Vacation was recently contacted by one of our readers who didn't agree with this piece. He said that the French and Russian Partisans weren't out torturing collaborators, and cutting their heads off. He also felt that the US occupation of Iraq is a lot more legitimate than the Nazi occupation of France and Russia. He also made the point that while there was a potential for "legitimate WW2 grade partisans, and partisan actions existing in Iraq", there was much evidence that attacks on US troops were not the work of "legitimate partisans". He felt that a lot of the attacks on US troops were the work of "insurgents" who only wished to draw American blood regardless of the legality or illegality of the current US occupation.
May G_d have mercy on all our souls.
Mike Miller,
Indiana,
2007
Partisan forces have played a role in most wars throughout history. Their presence was fiercely felt during WW2/The Patriotic War.
The French Partisans played an important role before , during and after D- Day . They blew up supplies and linkages, assassinated troops, and helped downed Allied airmen evade capture. Their methods were often unconventional, and when captured they were mostly tortured horribly, then executed.
The Belorussian Partisans played a larger role in destroying Nazis, as their numbers were larger, and they enjoyed a much greater natural protection from the dense virgin forests of Belarus. They also were tortured, and executed when captured.
In order to "capture" a Partisan, either French or Belorussian, the Germans used informants, collaborators, and spies. Sometimes persons merely suspected of ties to the Partisans were arrested and tortured, and mostly murdered.
Any invading force will face Partisan resistance if their invasion is against the will of the people. The level of resistance faced by an invader is proportionate to the criminality of their invasion and the degree the native peoples desire their exit.
Collaborators have historically been murdered and tortured by Partisans when discovered. This is because the collaborators themselves are ultimately responsible for the same treatment of Partisans by the primary criminal invaders.
Has anyone noticed that the History Channel has not been airing any documentaries about WW2 era French Partisans lately? You should think about this.
It is very convenient to label anyone in Iraq opposing our criminal presence there as a "terrorist", or an "insurgent". However, could their individual politics and their combat techniques not sometimes more precisely qualify them as "partisans". ?
It is correct to say that the "legitimate partisan resistance" faced by US forces in Iraq is in direct proportion to our level of legal and criminal legitimacy in the same country.
It is not correct to "imprison without trial, torture, or murder" men conducting "legitimate partisan actions " against a criminal invader (that's us) on their own home soil.
The first video is dedicated to Russian Partisans in the Patriotic War/WW2. The next link takes you to an older issue of Mikes Vacation where the Belarusian film COME AND SEE is reviewed with links so you can view it.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vcTJ_JKV3tc
(just kindly cut and past this in the address bar, I'll fix the link later)
http://mikesvacation.blogspot.com/2007/08/come-and-see.html
This video is about the French Resistance in WW2.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Wyt2OD5qfeY
Mikes Vacation dedicates the following music video to the "legitimate partisans" conducting actions against US military forces that would have been considered "legal" for the French or Belorussians to conduct against the Nazis. This video is not dedicated to terrorists, and it is not intended to celebrate the tragic loss of innocent American life as a result of this criminal invasion.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0KL_fgWgK40&feature=related
Mikes Vacation dedicates this video to the innocent American soldiers that have been maimed or killed as a result of our current criminal invasion of Iraq.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sTRBPCcJwhE
Readers please note: Mikes Vacation was recently contacted by one of our readers who didn't agree with this piece. He said that the French and Russian Partisans weren't out torturing collaborators, and cutting their heads off. He also felt that the US occupation of Iraq is a lot more legitimate than the Nazi occupation of France and Russia. He also made the point that while there was a potential for "legitimate WW2 grade partisans, and partisan actions existing in Iraq", there was much evidence that attacks on US troops were not the work of "legitimate partisans". He felt that a lot of the attacks on US troops were the work of "insurgents" who only wished to draw American blood regardless of the legality or illegality of the current US occupation.
Mikes Vacation agrees with the above readers opinion and applaudes him for correcting the imprecise nature of our current Essay. However we at Mikes Vacation must remind the reader that the US occupation of Iraq can easily and clearly be measured as a criminal invasion, and a war crime in and of itself. The United States for all of our problems and failings are no where nearly as evil as Hitlers Third Reich, in fact, we are not even the same species. However, regardless of how cushy and white bread we are compared to the Nazis, a war crime is a war crime, and a criminal invasion is just that. After the fact, we have attempted to be as gentle as possible to the general Iraqi public, however just because we aren't the Third Reich, doesn't mean the Iraqi population is any less entitled to seeing to our exit. Just because there are many insurgents in Iraq who are there only for blood sport and hatred, and can't be considered Partisans, doesn't mean we are legitimated by their presence.
Let me repeat that one more time, our presence in Iraq is not legitimized by the illegitimacy and presence of insurgents only there for mindless hatred and cruel sport.
We thank our above reader for his comments, and corrections. However Mikes Vacation still feels that a legitimate partisan presence exists in Iraq, and their operations against our troops are not only legal according to international standards, but bonna fide and reasonable considering the circumstances.
Mikes Vacation is broken hearted to feel the above facts are true and correct.
May G_d have mercy on all our souls.
Mike Miller,
Indiana,
2007
TIME FOR A FEW NEW THOUGHTS ABOUT POT
Mikes Vacation is against the use of drugs. We believe that Marijuana has a detrimental effect on our society as a whole not because it is dangerous in nature, but because it ISN'T immediately dangerous in nature.
Pot smokers don't become violent, or have heart attacks, or commit heinous crimes while high on pot. Pot doesn't produce horribly dangerous psychic conditions as do hard drugs such as PCP, Cocaine, or Methamphetamine.
However, Pot does produce an environment of laziness, and the marijuana culture has developed a very lazy and non-industrious group identity.
Pot is making America a little bit less productive, a little bit lazier, and it is wasting the youth of its users puff by puff. Therein lies the problem, it is a drug which is essentially weakening the industry and motivation of America one young person at a time.
However our young people aren't dying horribly because of it, and there are essentially no ghastly side effects save hunger and the mild to moderate obesity that go with the same.
When Americans tell their kids to be careful of Pot, warning them of its dangers, they are in effect assisting the "gateway drug process". Marijuana can be called a "gateway drug" because it is essentially the first illegal substance most people try.
Here is the big problem, for all of a child/youth's life, they are warned to stay away from drugs, "drugs are baaaad"!! Marijuana is cited along with cocaine, heroin, pcp and what have you.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BNbExvU42q4&feature=related
As Marijuana produces essentially no life or even immediate health threatening effects, the first time user ultimately extrapolates the semi-logical conclusion, that if Marijuana wasn't all that bad, then maybe the other drugs are benign as well.
Obviously the drug problem in America won't be solved by simply re-assigning Marijuana a new description, but continuing to persecute marijuana for possessing sins similar to hard drugs won't do either.
We need clever social engineering to raise our collective productivity and quality of life. Mis-labeling marijuana, and punishing its offenders according to these archaic notions of the drugs harm potential isn't going to work either.
Our country's youth need ACCURATE and HONEST information about marijuana if we as adults are going to have any credibility about the dangers of hard drugs.
Ruining the lives of pot users isn't going to get us anywhere either. Our country is in a state of "witch hunt mania". We are stupidly and earnestly looking for a "monster to burn" all the time.
We need to come to grips with the fact that there is no real freedom without risk. We can't be a "free society" and absolutely control and micro-manage the personal decisions of our cultures diaspora.
Here is a link to some interesting information about what you have just read.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/Advice/WhatIllegalDrugUseCanCostYou.aspx
If you are a pot smoker, try to take it easy on the stuff, you are only getting lazier, and broker, and fatter.
If you are not a pot smoker, remember that everyone who is a user, is someones loved one and they deserve the respect that you would have given to your own dearest if they choose a alternative path in life.
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
Pot smokers don't become violent, or have heart attacks, or commit heinous crimes while high on pot. Pot doesn't produce horribly dangerous psychic conditions as do hard drugs such as PCP, Cocaine, or Methamphetamine.
However, Pot does produce an environment of laziness, and the marijuana culture has developed a very lazy and non-industrious group identity.
Pot is making America a little bit less productive, a little bit lazier, and it is wasting the youth of its users puff by puff. Therein lies the problem, it is a drug which is essentially weakening the industry and motivation of America one young person at a time.
However our young people aren't dying horribly because of it, and there are essentially no ghastly side effects save hunger and the mild to moderate obesity that go with the same.
When Americans tell their kids to be careful of Pot, warning them of its dangers, they are in effect assisting the "gateway drug process". Marijuana can be called a "gateway drug" because it is essentially the first illegal substance most people try.
Here is the big problem, for all of a child/youth's life, they are warned to stay away from drugs, "drugs are baaaad"!! Marijuana is cited along with cocaine, heroin, pcp and what have you.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BNbExvU42q4&feature=related
As Marijuana produces essentially no life or even immediate health threatening effects, the first time user ultimately extrapolates the semi-logical conclusion, that if Marijuana wasn't all that bad, then maybe the other drugs are benign as well.
Obviously the drug problem in America won't be solved by simply re-assigning Marijuana a new description, but continuing to persecute marijuana for possessing sins similar to hard drugs won't do either.
We need clever social engineering to raise our collective productivity and quality of life. Mis-labeling marijuana, and punishing its offenders according to these archaic notions of the drugs harm potential isn't going to work either.
Our country's youth need ACCURATE and HONEST information about marijuana if we as adults are going to have any credibility about the dangers of hard drugs.
Ruining the lives of pot users isn't going to get us anywhere either. Our country is in a state of "witch hunt mania". We are stupidly and earnestly looking for a "monster to burn" all the time.
We need to come to grips with the fact that there is no real freedom without risk. We can't be a "free society" and absolutely control and micro-manage the personal decisions of our cultures diaspora.
Here is a link to some interesting information about what you have just read.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/Advice/WhatIllegalDrugUseCanCostYou.aspx
If you are a pot smoker, try to take it easy on the stuff, you are only getting lazier, and broker, and fatter.
If you are not a pot smoker, remember that everyone who is a user, is someones loved one and they deserve the respect that you would have given to your own dearest if they choose a alternative path in life.
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
HAPPY CHANUKA !!! DECEMBER 5, 2007
Dear Readers,
Chanuka starts tommorow, December 5, 2007.
There are some very interesting links below. The first link is from the Jewish Virtual library. It gives some very basic information about Chanuka.
I am a long way from being able to teach anyone about Chanuka, however there are some very important points that should be remembered.
Chanuka is not the distant cousin of Christmas, it isn't the Jewish answer to Christmas. Here in America Chanuka has taken on sort of a Christmasy feel, because American Winter Festival Christmas and Christian Christmas are such powerfully celebrated holidays.
However, Chanuka is a celebration of a military miracle that happenned in antiquity. The Greek army was attempting to conquer and throughly Hellenize ancient Jews of the time.
There was only a small amount of olive oil left in the sacked temple to last for one night, but by divine intervention the oil lasted for 8 days.
A female Jew assasinated the leader of the Greeks, and the Jews of antiquity won this war.
This military victory to include the assasination of the Greek general is celebrated by a symbolic lighting of 8 candles to symbolize the entire victorious military campaign, and also the miraculous olive oil that lasted 8 nights instead of only 1.
So, Chanuka is a celebration of divine intervention, and of military victory AGAINST ASSIMILATION, or Hellenization of the Jews by the Greeks.
It is moderately ironic that modern American Chanuka has become celbrated in a Christmasy spirit so to speak. (for lack of a better description).
However, even though modern American Chanuka has become celebrated in a somewhat similar manner as Winter Festival Christmas, it is obviously not the free for all glutinous orgy that has become both Winter Festival Christmas and Christian Christmas.
Enjoy the links below, and may this posting find all of you enjoying the best of health, welfare and happiness.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holiday7.html
http://howtojew.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MK2J-G8uGM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v3PY-vfd9Y
WAIT, HOLD THE PHONE, now you know that Mike's Vacation is not going to have a Chanuka article without the good Reb Sandler,, now you just know that wasn't going to happen!!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vrd9p47MPHg&feature=related
Mike's Vacation would also like to wish a very wonderful Chanuka to the Reb Goodman and his family living in Pinsk, Belarus. His stories of life in what remains of the Settlement of the Pale can be viewed at BEINGHAD.COM
Michael Miller
Indiana,
2007
Chanuka starts tommorow, December 5, 2007.
There are some very interesting links below. The first link is from the Jewish Virtual library. It gives some very basic information about Chanuka.
I am a long way from being able to teach anyone about Chanuka, however there are some very important points that should be remembered.
Chanuka is not the distant cousin of Christmas, it isn't the Jewish answer to Christmas. Here in America Chanuka has taken on sort of a Christmasy feel, because American Winter Festival Christmas and Christian Christmas are such powerfully celebrated holidays.
However, Chanuka is a celebration of a military miracle that happenned in antiquity. The Greek army was attempting to conquer and throughly Hellenize ancient Jews of the time.
There was only a small amount of olive oil left in the sacked temple to last for one night, but by divine intervention the oil lasted for 8 days.
A female Jew assasinated the leader of the Greeks, and the Jews of antiquity won this war.
This military victory to include the assasination of the Greek general is celebrated by a symbolic lighting of 8 candles to symbolize the entire victorious military campaign, and also the miraculous olive oil that lasted 8 nights instead of only 1.
So, Chanuka is a celebration of divine intervention, and of military victory AGAINST ASSIMILATION, or Hellenization of the Jews by the Greeks.
It is moderately ironic that modern American Chanuka has become celbrated in a Christmasy spirit so to speak. (for lack of a better description).
However, even though modern American Chanuka has become celebrated in a somewhat similar manner as Winter Festival Christmas, it is obviously not the free for all glutinous orgy that has become both Winter Festival Christmas and Christian Christmas.
Enjoy the links below, and may this posting find all of you enjoying the best of health, welfare and happiness.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holiday7.html
http://howtojew.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MK2J-G8uGM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v3PY-vfd9Y
WAIT, HOLD THE PHONE, now you know that Mike's Vacation is not going to have a Chanuka article without the good Reb Sandler,, now you just know that wasn't going to happen!!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vrd9p47MPHg&feature=related
Mike's Vacation would also like to wish a very wonderful Chanuka to the Reb Goodman and his family living in Pinsk, Belarus. His stories of life in what remains of the Settlement of the Pale can be viewed at BEINGHAD.COM
Michael Miller
Indiana,
2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
JEWISH LAW-- SUPURB DOCUMENTARY OF MANCHESTER ENGLAND'S ORTHODOX JEWISH COMMUNITY
Dear Readers/(reader) ,
Here is a wonderful series of videos obtained from (you guessed it) youtube.com.
This video series is in two parts, with each part containing 5 chapters. Among other things you will be interested to listen to Orthodox Jews speaking with British accents.
I was impressed with the sincerity the schochets conveyed both as professionals, and as animal lovers/respecters.
There is about 100 minutes of brilliant Jewish culture and societal footage here, please enjoy!
JEWISH LAW
episode 1 (1of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7GyWxHN0fcs&feature=related
episode 1 (2of5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=aZVF4_TJjX8&feature=related
episode 1 (3of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=oAEDDMO3MII&feature=related
episode 1 (4of5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nOtmVpKL7Cc&feature=related
episode 1 (5 of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XhuaRM90NHM&feature=related
JEWISH LAW EPISODE 2
episode 2 (1of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dvquJEN7EHg&feature=related
episode 2 (2of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kHcUWrS-FtM&feature=related
episode 2 (3of5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=pIKC7IjD8xU&feature=related
episode 2 (4 of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vwTFgFf-opM&feature=related
episode 2 (5 of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iKxlWGKRawg&feature=related
Now folks, if you have watched the following video clips, you have now brushed up on the basics of Jewish law. We all agree that Jewish law is important, and beautiful. It is the position of Mike's Vacation that a sincere study of Jewish law is complimented by many smiles, and laughs. :) :) :)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GUxDxI68xpc
G_d Bless Each and every one of you!
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
Here is a wonderful series of videos obtained from (you guessed it) youtube.com.
This video series is in two parts, with each part containing 5 chapters. Among other things you will be interested to listen to Orthodox Jews speaking with British accents.
I was impressed with the sincerity the schochets conveyed both as professionals, and as animal lovers/respecters.
There is about 100 minutes of brilliant Jewish culture and societal footage here, please enjoy!
JEWISH LAW
episode 1 (1of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7GyWxHN0fcs&feature=related
episode 1 (2of5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=aZVF4_TJjX8&feature=related
episode 1 (3of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=oAEDDMO3MII&feature=related
episode 1 (4of5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nOtmVpKL7Cc&feature=related
episode 1 (5 of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XhuaRM90NHM&feature=related
JEWISH LAW EPISODE 2
episode 2 (1of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dvquJEN7EHg&feature=related
episode 2 (2of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kHcUWrS-FtM&feature=related
episode 2 (3of5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=pIKC7IjD8xU&feature=related
episode 2 (4 of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vwTFgFf-opM&feature=related
episode 2 (5 of 5)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iKxlWGKRawg&feature=related
Now folks, if you have watched the following video clips, you have now brushed up on the basics of Jewish law. We all agree that Jewish law is important, and beautiful. It is the position of Mike's Vacation that a sincere study of Jewish law is complimented by many smiles, and laughs. :) :) :)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GUxDxI68xpc
G_d Bless Each and every one of you!
Mike Miller
Indiana,
2007
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