Kyoto Aki Kouyo (leaf changing) Nov 2008

Today I took the JR Tokai line to Kyoto to enjoy 3 days of hanging out in Kyoto with some new friends I met since I got back to Japan.

These pictures are in Kyomizudera and Arashiyama in Kyoto, 2 of my favorite spots in the universe. If there is any doubt in your mind why I truly love this land so much, these pictures should erase that on the spot. Enjoy.

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An Open Letter to members of the U.S. Congress about the FairTax...

Please read the FairTax books by Congressman Linder and Neal Boortz. Visit www.Fairtax.org and look at all the empirical data and research that has been done on this taxation system. I won't pretend to be an economist, but I have worked for the IRS and currently am employed by a large banking firm in the tax compliance section. I am behind the FairTax 100%--even if it means I'd be unemployed! It just makes more sense than the 65000+ page code I have to read in order to make sure my clients are within the boundaries of the law.

I vote independent, but lean just left of center--moderate democrat. PLEASE DEMOCRATIC SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN/WOMEN, don't for the love of our nation play the normal partisan game with this... Vote with your hearts and minds, actually read Linder's bill *YOURSELF* and then decide clearly if it makes sense or not. This can be the policy that makes America the best country to live in and restore confidence in our nation just like the New Deal did after the Great Depression. I invite any member of congress to call me personally if they need reasons why they should consider voting on the FairTax... I'll gladly take them on a tour of St Louis, MO--my hometown, or Atlanta GA, my home now. Show them how good hardworking Americans are jobless now with the vanishing of GM, Ford and Chrysler plants in both towns. Show them how it's cheaper to build ANYTHING overseas half a world away and ship it here to be sold, rather than build it across the street from the store it would be sold in here in AMERICA!

Lastly, some of you may have questioned my patriotism when people like me were against the war in Iraq... But now I question yours if you are against the FairTax. Think about that. I love my country, and 3 generations of my family have worn its uniform, even while fighting to be equals in this country (I'm afro-american) So now I pose this question to you--why be against something that would truly help restore the USA to glory and keep our hard earned dollars in this country and bring even more money, people, and RESPECT to us in the world... ...are YOU a PATRIOT?

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The Rule of Threes

Sorry for not blogging in a while y'all (actually I still blog a lot, but not here--check out http://starrwulfe.blogspot.com for more of my randomness)

I've been going through a lot in 2008, and it's only just begun.  As much as I try to remain positve, a tremendous amount of sadness has already occured.  My oldest brother is in jail in my hometown on murder charges that he shouldn't even have...  My granny had a stroke that has started her on the path for her homegoing (Those of you that know me know I don't believe in death; only in another life beyond this one.  Consequently passing on doesn't evoke sadness from me unless you are killed, or die way too young.)  I am both happy and sad for my granny.  Happy because she's heading for the Great Continueum, the nexus that all lives and souls end and begin, but sad because I won't see her for a while, and have so many memories of her keeping my brother and I when we were kids.

Which leads me to a greater sadness, because when she finally does pass, my brother Pete will not be able to attend her funeral because he's imprisioned.  He knew granny the best, and had such a special relationship with her.  I'm also saddest for my mom; granny raised her without any help and my mother adores her, and now it's all on her to make these preparations...  But also keep in mind we were just in St Louis last weekend to try and get my brother some legal counsul. 

This weekend too finds me in St Louis once again searching my soul for reasons why 2008 is starting off so surrealistic...  Its like I'm sleeping awake in a nightmare.  You know, I was looking forward to taking my 2 teenaged rugrat "almost siblings" to the movies and just generally watch them cause mayhem all over the place and laugh--when I hang out with them, I tend to forget I'm as old as I am, and regress a little bit back in time when I had no bills, little responsibilities and my only worries had to do with hoping the pimple I got on my face would disappear if whatever girl I was into at the time saw me...  God I miss those days.

When this is over, and things return to some state of relative calmness, please buy your buddy J a drink...  He could use it.

...oh yeah, the rule of threes suggest that bad things happen in triads; so somewhere sometime soon perhaps one last thing could happen to us.  I can't take much more.

Currently listening :
Alpha
By Sevendust

Blogged with Flock

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