How Doctor Who Has Survived Over the Decades

The show Doctor Who is one of those amazing rarities in television that has managed to survive over the decades. The series has spanned over nearly five decades and has maintained continual success in the BBC television science-fiction series. The long running series has included eleven different faces of the Doctor who is an extraterrestrial from the planet Gallifrey. He randomly explores the universe and through his exploration, encounters many unique and entertaining crisis' that captivate his audience and keep them in tune for more.

The Doctor Who character is an adventurer as well as a scientist. He is a Time Lord and Time Lords greatly resemble humans, on the outside. Their physiological make up, however is different. For example, Dr. Who has two hearts - something that uniquely sets him apart from humans, and gives way to a more acceptable extraterrestrial. He also has a respiratory bypass system. This is a great characteristic for the character to have because it explains how the Doctor is able to go without air for long periods of time. And, also explains his unusual staying power that is super human. He also has the ability to absorb unusual amounts of radiation and use it as power. His ability to withstand many strenuous circumstances makes the extraterrestrial character more believable. And although he has unusual ability to withstand the perils of volatile circumstance, he also shows his non human side by response to substances that are typically helpful and this is shown in many episodes. One of the weaknesses displayed was his inability to take aspirin because it could kill him but over all the characters limitations are minimal.

Because Doctor Who is a time traveler, many episodes takes him to times and eras where he is meeting significant historical figures. The setting of these meetings has allowed for many exciting and adventurous episodes with unexpected twists. But, because of the time travel as part of the storyline, it allows for unique episodes that are fully engaged.

What has sustained the show over the decades is the creativity involved. Each original storyline is distinctive. The doctor has definitely evolved over the years from a older, oddly looking man, and although they were distinguished, they were not overly attractive. However, over time, the characters have become more eye catching and attractive capturing an entirely new audience.

Shows that have talented and creative writers, that are able to sustain through changing times is rarely seen. However, audiences will follow a series or remain dedicated to it even through drastic changes of the series, like a new lead Doctor. The show will continue to triumph through its own creativity and although along the way, may lose a few loyal viewers; they will also pick up new followers. Shows like Doctor who are far and few. The success, somewhat mysterious, but the undeniable creativity and great writing lead to its ongoing ability to prevail.

Political Divide

The performance of the government is always shed light on in this modern time with freedom of speech as a great tool of exposure. It is no doubt that mistrust in the government is a direct result of political division which must be overcome to become a normal single nation again.

 

After all, everyone wants a Killer Sand Castle so the teacher can take a digital picture and these 4 year olds can put them on their MySpace sites to show the World. See my Sand Castle. Well then lets get busy and build the damn thing already and show the world and thus the world will desire it and sign up too. Sand Castles for everyone, build your own, I have a plan. We help you, you build, we all have beautiful sand castles with Cultural Motifs.

 

Why are we allowing our political divide here and why are we allowing other nations to widen the cultural divide.

We are all on this pale blue dot together and everyone is entitled to running their own sand box and building their version of the sand castle, but why all the fighting? There is enough sand for everyone on the surface of this planet. Well at least last time I checked anyway. Consider all this in 2006.

 

Political Opinions on Political Blogs

No matter what your political affiliation is, it probably isn't represented by the mainstream media. By trying to please everyone, the media - like the political establishment it has come to serve - pleases no one. For most American people, until recently they just had to put up with this situation. Until the invention of political blogs, there was simply no good news analysis that did not try to tow a moderate party line. Thanks to politics blogs, however, that has all changed. No matter what ideological position you are coming from, you can find a political blog that is written for you.

I have been reading liberal political blogs for about three years now, and I feel like they have really enhanced my understanding of current events. We live in such a conservative society that much of the real news of what is going on is censored by the mainstream media.

In these free political forums, however, the news can finally be heard by the public that is hungry for it. Unfortunately, political blogs don't have the budget to do some of the things that the more mainstream news outlets do. They cannot have correspondents all over the world, for example, ready to report any event that happens. What they can do, however, is access a wide range of different media and try to put together a more complete picture than any single publication does. News analysis is a valuable service, and one that is completely neglected by the mainstream media. Thanks to political blogs, we can get beyond the the facile analysis provided by most of the news pundit shows.

But some blogs are not based on facts. So it will be your job to know which political blogs are based on proof or spoofs.

Of course, the problem with personal blogs is that they do not have the same standards of proof as some of the media outlets do. While most political blogs are at least as dependable as Fox news, when they are compared to legitimate media outlets, many of them falls short. This is why you have to pick and choose carefully when you are reading blogs. Anyone can write anything they want on a political blog, and it is very hard for someone to call them on it. After all, free speech is a right, and posting on the Internet is simply an extension of that right. People have just as much right to blog political fiction as fact, and rumormongers abounds. As always, it is up to you to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Learning Politics Using Board Games

Many board games are based on some realistic life experiences, some deal with sports, real estate, and even banking. Then manufacturers came along and decided to add the process of politics to the line up of gaming options. The games are fun and educational, they also give you insight into the life styles and campaign strategies of people who are presidents, senators and congressmen. Learning what it takes to run the country and run for offices all over the world.In one game called,"the Making of the President", you are brought face to face with two of the most well know figures in American political history. You will meet the enigmatic John F. Kennedy and the controversial Richard M. Nixon,in a champaign that takes you back in time to the 1960 election. Through this political race, gamers meet and become one of the two very different political personalities. In the real life election Kennedy wins the race, but in this game, it is anyone's game. This game allows you to find out what you will have to go through in order to be the leader of the United States.In another game called "Die Macher" players are invited to check out the 7 political races that are conducted in Germany. This game requires the player to come up with their own party philosophy, and they must learn about how poll results are tabulated, they are introduced to how the media shapes the influence of any political race. All of these tools are available to make the political candidates, who enjoy playing this fun and exciting game go away with an in-depth understanding of German Politics.Players of political games will also want to know how the political games work from different countries once they have experienced the process of the United States and Germany. To experience another interesting political environment, players will find the game, "Quo Vadis", one of the more popular games. The Roman Senate is re-enacted during this game; you and the other players will have a chance to try to get your politicians in the committee's best positions. It takes 45 minutes to find out which of your friends are the best qualified candidates.Another political game shows another side of politics. In this game, players learn how to plot coups and assasinate political leaders and hopefuls. The game of "Junta" starts with the election of the "El Presidente" of the Republica of Los Bananas, and then it includes the people who are looking into gettin rid of their leaders and take over the country.Then if players want to take thier investigations of political board games one step further, they will want to play the board game "Koalition" in this game the players will learn the political process that is not one, but of 12 European countriess. The players then will try to gain power ad political influence in as many places as possible, they will convince the many political parties to join up to form the colitions that this person will need in oder to build up your countries power.If you are interested in board games and politics, they will find many opportunities available for play, which will include both options. These games help gamers learn the political processes for many different countries, and who knows maybe one day they will become "El Presidente".

Revolutionary War Political Cartoons

Revolutionary War political cartoons are the very first American cartoons. These appeared in both mainstream and subversive newspapers that were circulated as the tension between England and what would be America built up. They were made by statesmen as famous as Benjamin Franklin as well as by anonymous authors. Usually made from woodblock prints, these pieces of artwork usually fall into one of a handful of themes.

A Need for Unity

Many of these cartoons focused on the need for the colonies to unite together to fight a common evil: the oppressive government of Great Britain. Most famous in this category is the well known "Join or Die" picture which shows a snake divided into pieces, each named for one of the American colonies. While many people supported the Revolutionary War, just as many people were reluctant because of the danger to their lives and property.

Papers and political cartoons helped round up support for this necessary revolution.

Criticism of Britain

Many Revolutionary war political cartoons also poked fun at Great Britain, which was perceived as a bloated and overbearing entity feeding off colonies around the world. These cartoons helped to rally the colonists behind a common cause and encouraged them to be more open in their disdain toward England. Because Britain at the time was truly not much better than its critics made it out to be, it was easy to find jokes and cartoons at the country's expense.

Criticism of the New Government Structure

There was a lot of jostling for power and bickering over the new government's structure even before the new government had won its independence. Some people thought that the concept of government by the people was too populist to be successful, while others doubted the ability of farflung and very different states to agree and work together on causes for the common good.

Revolutionary War political cartoons reflected these different opinions and showed the diverse opinions of colonists at that time.

Being involved in the making and distribution of any criticism of the establishment was risky business at the time. Great Britain had no qualms about hunting down subversive elements and making an example of them. However, this did not stop the tenacious American colonists. They used these cartoons to gather support for their cause and eventually were able to overthrow the British government.

Political cartoons from the Revolutionary War era are treasured pieces of history. They allow modern American citizens to see the mindset of the people who had a huge role in the forming of our nation. Thanks to these preserved cartoons, we will always have a record of the sentiments that our Founding Fathers felt in the early days of the United States of America.

How to Make a Film Practically for Free!

So you're a filmmaker in the making, but don't have the funds to do your first film. You have a script and a basic idea on how to make a movie. Brilliant! You sit down and put together the budget you will need to complete this film from soup to nuts. Then you have a breakdown upon seeing all the money required and decide you should have become a lawyer instead. You could go the route of fund raising; applying for grants, saving your pennies, but this can take up a lot of time with potentially little to no success.

No one wants to hear that you are an aspiring Filmmaker. The fruits of your labor are your calling card and you need to churn them out sooner than later. One option is to attempt to make a film for free-ish. This is a challenge, but not impossible as I have done this myself.

First of all, decide if you are making a short film or feature length film. This is important. You can do this with any length of film. It used to be, that a short film was more of a calling card that rarely had the potential to earn money. Feature films could win awards the same as a short in festivals, but use too have a greater possibility of being considered as a candidate for distribution. Times have changed due to many Internet sites like Spike TV, YouTube and such. It seems, short is the new long, so go with a short film if at all possible. It's easier and potentially more valuable in the end.

Getting the word out about you and your film should start early in the game. Publicity was always important, but now it is more so than before. In our internet-connected world, word of mouth has returned as one of the most important ways to advertise, with the likes of social mediums such as Twitter. People will want to hear the story behind the story. Often it's important to help gain an audience that will be invested in your journey and therefore, curious to see the final product.

The first thing you'll want to do is go ahead and make that budget. Try to bypass the breakdown though. The approach I recommend is to put up a simple fundraising campaign anyway while you organize pre-production. First you want to get fiscally sponsored so that if you are lucky enough to get donations, they will be tax deductible. This is very attractive to people who may think of tossing a quarter into your pot. I recommend FracturedAtlas.org because they make the application process easy. Basically, you apply and pay a monthly membership fee and Voila you have a Fiscal Sponsor. Next go to a fundraising site such as IndieGoGo.com and put your campaign on their site and connect it with Fractured Atlas.

Set up a Facebook page so people can follow the progress of the film. People want to feel that you are exhausting your every moment and resource trying to make your film happen. If you re silent for a month at a time, they will think nothing is happening. You need to make them feel that the project is progressing even during the times you have to pay attention to your day job. A sentence a day can make a world of difference. It can be about any aspect of your filmmaking journey on this project. Including your frustration of having interrupted your flow with other obligations in your life. If the project is on your mind, it should be on your followers mind.

Make sure you post your campaign link out on all your social networking sites and mailing lists. Two things will be accomplished: Publicity for your film and potential donations. Make sure you stress that they can donate as little as a dollar.

Now after that move forward, make your film anyway. If you get some money great, but if you don't your project is still forward motion. Look at the amount of time you calculated for pre-production, production and post-production. Now, whatever the length of time, multiply that by 5. The "Monkey Wrench Fairy" will throw a lot of stuff your way during every step of the journey. Don't fret; this is just the Universe's way of testing your dedication to your craft. By the way, when you calculate a budget, make sure there is a column titled: "Monkey Wrenches".

Putting together your team can be tricky when you are not offering money. When writing ads looking for crew, remember people always do projects to get something in return. This is not a bad thing. You are making your film to get something in return. It could be for money or just the experience, but everybody wants something. So make the ad sound valuable, enticing and friendly. You don't need to give away your film plot, but put aspects of the film that could be good for someone's demo reel.

For example, if the film has action scenes or special effects, you want to mention that this film will have these types of scenes that are great reel material! At the end of your ad make sure to list the 'Compensation': "Credit and DVD of Film". This can be good enough. See what bites you get. If you don't get many or any responses, you may have to pad the compensation with barter as well. Don't do this at first, because you don't want to fall into a situation where you owe more time than you can give to multiple people. Follow through is super important, so make sure what you offer in return can be done, even if it's later than sooner. Most people want 1] experience, 2] credit and 3] super important: footage.

You will end up doing some bartering which is actually a good thing in the end. When you offer bartering, mention your skill-set. You have to decide which skills to offer and why. You can offer services that you are adept at and would be able to return the favor at a fast pace. Or, you could offer a skill you would like to develop more, or get demo reel material in return for. Bartering can be a great one hand washing the other experience.

• Casting is the same approach: offer credit and a copy of the film. There are tons of actors who are looking for projects. The most important end result for them is the footage. Often, they experience a lot of Directors who never give them a copy of the film. So, make sure that no matter what, they end up with a copy of the film. If the project tanks and never gets finished, you must still give them their scenes, as those will still be reel material for both of you. Above all your, reputation is important! You don't want to be known as a promise breaker.

A few time savers in the casting process are to look at actor reels and see if they can act in the first place. Although, I must say not every reel does an actor justice. I personally didn't like viewing them because it was more important to see what they could bring to my project. There are many factors that can lead to a not-so-good performance. If you can see people in person, it's better all the way round. Time and experience has helped me to see the real abilities behind a bad performance. If you are just starting out, viewing a reel in advance is possibly a better time/money saver.

Make your project non-union so that you can avoid a lot of complications and expenses. Make sure this status is known in the casting call so you don't have a ton of union actors showing up who otherwise would not have. If Union actors decide to come to your non-union audition and fit a part, you will want to ask them if they have a non-union name to use for your production. There are many actors hampered by their union status, because Union jobs are not always plentiful. Make sure you are both on the same page if you decide to do a call back or cast them.

If you can hold casting somewhere for free that would be the goal. It is not unusual to do casting out of a church basement, apartment or house. Just make sure that you make the actor feels comfortable about the situation. There should ideally be at least one woman on your casting crew and she should greet people as they arrive. Everyone should conduct himself or herself professionally. No beer bottles lying about and off color humor allowed. You want people to take your production seriously and feel safe.

You've got your cast and you're ready to make a movie! Weather can impede a shoot even if your production is all indoors. You might still want to consider shooting during seasons known for nice weather. People can be delayed due to inclement weather or bad weather may decide to crash your outdoor scene. May through October is usually ideal in most of America. Southern states July and August can be a bit overwhelming due to the heat and there could be more power outages due to everybody's air conditioner running. Typically cold; snowy or rainy seasons will cause potential complications too. You have to weigh out your needs, but now worry if you can't have the perfect scenario.

Where are we shooting? Believe it or not, you can get locations for free. State film commissions often have a locations department and some can be very helpful to you. For example, the state of New Jersey encourages filmmakers to use the state as your canvas. Their locations department has lists of places used as film sets and will pass this info along to you for free. The location costs range from big time budget down to free! There are other benefits including 20 percent tax credit program and a waiver of Sales and Use taxes. Make sure to check nearby states and their benefits to your project.

• When it comes to insurance, many filmmakers take the risk of not using it on their project. I'm not saying this is a good idea because it is very risky. But if you go this route you have to make sure all your cast and crew have a waiver clause in their release form so they cannot sue you. Then in turn, you have to think what risks there are for shooting. If you are taking the no insurance risk, you would want to avoid scenes using fire, stunts, weapons, animals, etc. I was once on a shoot in the woods where we discovered there was a high tick population. Quite a few people were bitten and gave their hospital bills to the Director. These things can happen so you have to figure out how to make the safest situation for both you and those working with you.

• Lights, cameras, equipment oh my! When weighing out what is the most important part of the whole process, one could argue that the camera is that part. It is best that you shoot any project in HD so you are not limited if opportunity rings. SD [Standard Definition] is now an old school format that no longer meets broadcast standards. Even the Internet is using HD. The good news is it's easier to get an HD camera; even the cheapest one looks good. Each camera has their own look in some cases, but since you are trying to go as cheap as possible you may have to go with what you can get. Ideally, you want to get DP's who have their own camera if you don't already own your own.

You also require the rest of the necessary equipment so you don't have a dark, silent movie unless of course, that's what you're going for. Make a checklist of equipment required for a shoot: Camera, lights, boom pole, microphone, gels, etc. Schools will often lend you equipment for your projects even for up to a year after you've graduated. If you belong to an actors' union, they have recourses for borrowing as well. Put ads out looking to borrow what you need. It is hard to find a DP who has their own equipment, but they exist. Mention this in your ad. Also, people will do things in return for being "an extra" in your film. Just think outside the box for every aspect.

Just remember though, the most important factor is that you have good content and great performances.

• Food is a very important aspect of production. If the engines of your cast and crew are not fed, they won't run. This may be an area you need to spend money on. You don't have to provide elaborate spreads, but food is important. Put ads out on Craigslist, Mandy.com and ShootingPeople.org and see if you are lucky enough to find a culinary student looking for a catering credit. They may have connections to donated food. You can even ask Mom and Pop deli's if they are willing to donate a lunch for the set in exchange for being listed in the credits and/or on the film website. Often things like Chinese food; pizza; rice and beans can be cheap and feed a lot of people. Try to avoid individual meals as they can add up. Also, make sure you are dishing out the food as people bring up their plates so one person doesn't serve themselves a portion for 12. People can come back for seconds once everyone has had their fair share.

• Let's put all the pieces together! First of all, I strongly recommend you learn to edit. This is a skill that will help you on so many levels especially during your first few films. It will save you a lot of money and help you to think ahead while shooting. Post-production should, in a way start during production. Get editing interns to jump on board and organize footage; do rough edits of scenes, etc. This will help you see if things are working or even missing and it's also a good way to audition editors to help finalize the film if you cannot. Just make sure you set up how YOU want things labeled and organized and always have the work done at your place. Important: don't let footage leave your place. You need to use a system that works for you because if you have to take over at any moment, you don't need to play detective with your post project.

• Your film is done and now we come back to publicity! Keep building a mailing list starting with everyone involved with the film in anyway. If you plan to have a screening, this is where you want to hand out those DVD's of the film that you owe your cast and crew. Encourage everybody to give your project a shout out to people they know. Always make them feel like it's our film and they will spread the word.

Politics - Bread and Circuses

There's an old saying: "If you want to know what's really going on, follow the money trail."
If you do not understand money, banking and finance, you cannot really understand politics. For the motivation of politics and politicians is ultimately the accumulation of money and resources. Money and resources = power.

Many people object to this statement. One of my clients said, "I grew up in the 60's during the civil rights movement. That was a purely political and altruistic agenda that had nothing to do with money."

In the 1960's however, the United States was unquestionably the world's greatest economic power. Our currency was strong. When you are abundant and strong, you feel magnanimous. In 2007, our economy is weak, our debt is high and our currency is declining. The current corrupt and mean-spirited political environment is a reflection of our country's declining economic status.

The OMB predicts that by the year 2012, the national debt of the United States will be 11.466 trillion dollars.

This figure does NOT account for unfunded liabilities like Social Security.

The total amount of dollar denominated debt (including unregistered derivatives securities) worldwide has been estimated at 1.2 quadrillion dollars. That's right folks. 1.2 quadrillion. The dollar has been hyper-inflated on a planetary scale.

How has this happened? To understand that, you have to understand how money is created and manipulated. A great place to start is to read the book called "The Creature From Jekyll Island.

The money we use is monetized debt. It has no value whatsoever. Today, money is not backed by anything tangible, other than the "full faith and credit of the United States." What does that mean? It means the future work, sweat and productivity of the American people.

It is a startling fact that if all dollar denominated loans and debts were paid off, all of our money would disappear.

Therefore, even if Congress wanted to pay off the national debt, it could not do so without destroying the economy!

Look at the top of any bill of any denomination, and you will find "Federal Reserve Note." Do you know what a note is? It is a promise to pay, a certificate of debt. The money we use are just a fancy IOU's. Unfortunately, the Fed, in cooperation with Congress, has played fast and loose with our currency. When you discover how money is created, you will understand the truth of this statement: "Money DOES grow on trees." Those who control the creation of money control the economy, and the lives of everyone in the nation. Economic cycles of boom and bust are not natural economic occurrences, but artificially created conditions due to the manipulation of the money supply.

Did you know that legal tender laws FORCE Americans to use Federal Reserve Notes? Look on the left hand side of the bill: "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private." It is illegal in the United States to use gold or silver as money. If you refuse to accept Federal Reserve Notes in exchange for your valuable goods and services, you can be thrown in jail. The power of the State is used to enforce legal tender laws.

The debasing of our currency (and thus our economy) is the most important crisis facing our country, and the world, because the dollar is the linchpin of international finance. [1] The growth of the unregistered derivatives market has hyper-inflated the dollar to the point where the international financial and banking system is in turmoil. At the present moment, and behind the theater of politics, the world is confronted with an international banking and currency crisis which is being completely ignored by the mass media in the United States (so what else is new?)

Called "Wantagate" by those in the know, it is a story of fraudulent financial manipulation that involves the highest banking and political officials in the United States, and the world.

How can such a gigantic crisis go unreported?

Because the focus is on politics!

Pick up a copy of the New York Times, the Washington Post, or the L.A. Times. Listen to the news. Listen to NPR. The news is, almost exclusively, political. What economic news is reported is mostly mundane stuff like the Dow Jones industrial average.

Politics and political intrigue obscures the fundamental economic and financial realities underlying the actions politicians take. In other words, the bread and circuses of politics takes your attention away from the money trail. Following the money trail will ALWAYS explain the actions of politicians.
For example, why did we go to war in Iraq?

The government says that we did it to establish democracy, or remove WMD's, or destroy Al Queda, blah, blah, blah. Former secretary of State Jim Baker said facetiously that we invaded Iraq because of "oil, oil, oil." Well that, at least, is partially true. According to Christopher Story, noted U.K. intelligence analyst, one of the fundamental reasons for invading Iraq was the takeover of the Rafidain Bank, Saddam Hussein's private bank. The Rafidain Bank had trillions of dollars worth of assets and billions in gold bullion. That money properly belongs to the people of the United States via the U.S. Treasury, as the spoils of war. According to Story, Saddam's money was stolen by criminal operatives within the U.S. intelligence community -- with full knowledge of officials at the highest levels of government, including the President, the Vice President, the Treasury secretary and the Homeland Insecurity chief -- and parked in offshore bank accounts. This money is "off the books," because the people who stole it cannot identify source of funds. In any legitimate banking transaction, official codes are issued which identify the financial institutions on both ends of the transaction, and where the money came from. This is not possible with stolen money. For the rest of the story, see the link below in the Resource Box.

We are spending 10 billion dollars every day to fund the war in Iraq. The war has so far, as of this writing, cost almost 500 billion dollars and President Bush has just submitted a request to Congress for 200 billion more. Moreover, the war in Iraq is being privatized, which means that private contractors are making billions from this war. Meanwhile, our brave men and women in the military fight and die -- for what? [2]

Governments throughout history have printed money and debased the currency to fund their conflicts. When the currency becomes devalued, it loses its purchasing power, and prices rise. This is the genesis of inflation. Inflation is not rising prices, it is the debasing of the currency.

The only legitimate way for governments to get money is through taxation. But politicians do not like to raise taxes because the voters will throw them out of office. However, the political scientists in Congress and the monetary scientists at the Fed have devised a brilliant scheme to spend more and more money and keep themselves in power: simply print and create more and more of it. The process by which this occurs is complex and obfuscated, but the bottom line is that the population is taxed by inflation when the money supply increases too rapidly. Each dollar buys less and less, you see. Inflation is a hidden tax -- a cowardly trick imposed by politicians (and bankers) who hide behind the power of the state to enforce legal tender laws.[3]

Moreover, when money is created from nothing, the size and power of government grows larger and larger, sapping the economy. Money that would have been used to start businesses and employ people is wasted by government cronyism. Regardless of who is in power -- capitalists, socialists, liberals, conservatives, Democrats or Republicans -- political parties always use the power of the state to enforce their decrees. Thus, government grows and the political structure of a nation becomes more and hierarchical, fertile soil for the growth of tyranny.

Political parties and groups exist first and foremost to advance an economic agenda. Study the bills Congress passes. Almost all of them have language benefiting special interests -- tax breaks, government contracts, etc.

Political parties did not exist in 1789. Many of the founders of the United States were against the establishment of political parties. George Washington, in his farewell address in 1796, said,

"They [political parties] serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels, and modified by mutual interests."

Although the motivation of the founders of the United States was rooted in the ideals of freedom, economic issues -- such as taxation -- played a very important role. Moreover, the creation of a central bank was one of the fundamental issues that divided the founders. Whether or not a political party begins it's life with a set of high ideals, once it becomes established, it 's main motivation is to stay in power. Then it always becomes a vehicle to protect the vested interest.

So people, do not become distracted by the bread and circuses of political theater, for that is what politics is.

Look underneath the superficialities of the news and always ask yourself these questions:

1) Who stands to gain financially by a declared government policy?

2) Where is the money trail?

In this way you may uncover the true motivations behind the actions of the actors on our political stage.

You can then begin to identify people who are open and honest, and vote for them. The crooks, of course, stand out like sore thumbs.

_________________________________

Footnotes:

[1] In an interview for the German magazine Stern, Allan Greenspan, former Fed chief, says that the Euro is rapidly replacing the dollar as the world's reserve currency. Greenspan said that the dollar is still slightly ahead in its use as a reserve currency, but added that "it doesn't have all that much of an advantage" anymore. And why is that, do you think?

[2] According to the FRONTLINE documentary "Private Warriors," private military contractors comprise the second largest "force" in Iraq. There are as many as 100,000 civilian contractors and approximately 20,000 private security forces currently in Iraq, and the number is growing.

[3] Here's an historical example (there are many): The Continental Congress, beginning in 1775, simply printed money to fund the colonial rebellion. The Continental, which was worth 1 dollar in gold in 1775, was by 1779 trading for less than a penny. A loaf of bread cost ,000! In a letter to Samuel Cooper in 1779, Benjamin Franklin wrote, "This Currency, as we manage it, is a wonderful machine. It performs its Office when we issue it, it pays and clothes Troops and provides Victuals and Ammunition, and when we are obliged to issue a Quantity excessive, it pays itself off by Depreciation."