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Followers of fundamentalist religions aren’t renowned for independent thought. When they do have an opinion, it is often some recycled conviction that has filtered down through the ranks. Part of the corpus of group opinion, mandated in most cases by a male authority figure in either a mega church or a mosque.

It’s hard to imagine a brand of fundamentalism that is arguably even more extreme than evangelical hard line opinion, but nothing quite matches Islamic fundamentalism when it comes to the outer reaches of surreality.

A distinguishing feature of fundamentalist psychology is a capacity to deny incontrovertible facts.

Take Israel for example. Israel obviously exists. Moreover it’s not going anywhere any time soon. Yet there are Hamas zealots who doggedly deny the political reality that appears on world maps. They seek to superimpose some mythic notion of a Greater Syria on the land occupied by the state of Israel.

This is a bit like having a neighbor who refuses to acknowledge your existence, while holding to the belief that the land you bought, paid for and defended with your blood, is really part of the greater Aztec nation and rightfully the property of the descendants of Emperor Moctezuma llhuicamina.

Unlike the European incursion into the Americas and the seizure of native lands, the Jews had ancient ancestral ties to the region - a minority of Jews never left - and their return was mandated by the international powers of the day. Moreover the land was paid for legally. Roughly 65% of land acquired by the Jews in the 30’s and 40’s was legally purchased from Palestinian Arabs.

Anti-Jewish sentiments harbored by the average Hamas supporter is somewhat like a hereditary condition transmitted via DNA. Hostility toward Jews can be found in the Hamas Covenant and in the speeches of its zealots. Many in Hamas regard the racist screed known as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion as evidence of profound truth.

What is perhaps even more troubling than racism and deluded thinking, is the willingness of some leftists in Europe and the Americas to make common cause with Islamists.

George Galloway is a prime example of this left wing warp. After being kicked out of the British Labour Party, he was returned to parliament as an MP for Respect … a coalition of sorts between Islamists and the Socialist Workers Party in the UK. A weird mix when you think about it.

Left wing socialism and Islamism are antithetical. The values of the Enlightenment and the zeitgeist that transformed Europe after the revolution of 1789, is what helped forge the Socialist world view … a secular world view that is the polar opposite of the values represented by fundamentalist Islam.

The marriage that people like Galloway has been busily forging with Islamists is self-serving and opportunistic. But these contradictions don’t bother Mr Galloway because he’s primarily interested in staking out incendiary positions in order to draw attention to himself and increase his media exposure. He’s a one-man circus. A political exhibitionist who has found a way to make notoriety pay.

In Canada the Internationalist Socialists have shown the same inclination to ally themselves with hard-line Islam. Even to the extent of attacking Muslim progressives and feminists, and associating themselves with the failed effort to get Sharia law courts established in Ontario.

People on the left who are reacting to the policies of George Bush, need to get a grip. The way forward doesn’t lie in creating alliances with Islamist reactionaries whose values have more in common with an Abbasid caliphate of the 12th century than with the hard won rights and freedoms of our civil societies.

Aidan Maconachy is a freelance writer and artist based in Ontario. You can visit his blog at http://aidanmaconachyblog.blogspot.com/

Benjamin Franklin was an author, diplomat, inventor, physicist, politician and printer. He was born January 17, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of 12, he begins his apprenticeship in his brother James’ print shop in Boston. Five years later, at the age of 17, Ben Franklin ran away to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One year later he moves to London, England to continue his training in printing.

Ben Franklin is now 20 years old and has returned to Philadelphia. Just two years later, he opens his own Printing Office. A year later, in 1729, Ben becomes the sole owner and publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette. His life continues with marriage to Deborah Read Rogers who births two sons and one daughter into this union. By 1732 he was publishing Poor Richard’s Almanack, a blend of practical information, humor, and homilies like “A penny saved is a penny earned.” His youngest son dies at the age of 4 in 1736. It was 7 years after his son’s death that his daughter, Sarah, also known as Sally was born. He grew into Philadelphia’s most famous citizen. In 1748, Ben sells his printing business and retires from business.

His life is chronicled over his 84 years and reflects a man who was a blend of a businessman, philosopher, inventor, public planner and civic cheerleader. He authored Experiments and Observations on Electricity in 1751 which was published in London. In a famous 1752 experiment, he flew a kite with a key attached to prove that electricity exists in the atmosphere. The Hutchinson Letters Affair damages Mr. Franklin’s reputation in 1774, which ironically, is also the year his wife dies. He received word of her death while in London.

The list of Ben Franklin’s accomplishments are many but most notably in 1776, Benjamin Franklin signs the Declaration of Independence. He later negotiated and signs Treaty of Alliance with France and was appointed Minister to France in 1778. His face adorns legal tender circulating in U.S. currency as a $100 bill.

In 1790, Benjamin Franklin dies in Philadelphia on April 17th. By anyone’s account, except his own, he was wise and powerful but not rich. For it is Benjamin Franklin who asked and answered:

“Who is wise? He that learns from every one. Who is powerful? He that governs his passions. Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody!”

Mr. Franklin was very wise, indeed. For it was he who also said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” I do not believe I can find anyone to disagree with me.

Copyright © 2007 Avis Ward of AWard Consulting, LLC

Avis Ward is an aspiring writer who enjoys writing about her spirituality, self-improvement, relationships, and women’s issues. She is an Orthodontic Consultant. http://avisward.com/ Avis invites you to view her blog.

The lost generation. I hear this phrase a lot. Are we truly lost, or have others simply given up on us? We have so many opportunities for success in today’s society, yet we do not see them. Why is this so? Many people blame music. Others blame television. Still, others blame the schools or family. Everyone seems to want to blame someone else. What about ourselves? It never seems to be our fault, but it is always the fault of someone else.

What is it that makes our generation lost? Some say that music and television has corrupted our minds and that we are sex driven.

I am unsure at times which generation is deemed the lost generation. With so many youth having children and raising families it is hard sometimes to see where one generation begins and another ends. Sometimes I have to ask myself if others see me as being apart of the lost generation. I consider myself to be relatively young. I am currently enrolled in college and have not truly begun to live my life. So, am I considered lost? I see friends and fellow students who party nonstop on weekends. Some of them act as if there were no end to the weekend. I hear of fights, drama and suicide. Sometimes I just wonder. Do others really categorize me as a party girl who drinks and parties all the time with her other college friends? I don’t party, I am very shy, and I don’t drink, so why would someone think of me in such a way. It is a stereotype.

Perhaps we have become the lost generation because that is what many think of us. It is sometimes much easier to fit in and follow a stereotype then go against it. I can attest to this. Being that I am a young black female, many people assume what music I like. Many people think that I listen to rap a lot. The truth is, I don’t. In fact, I don’t even own what would be considered a hip-hop CD. I only own a few CDs and they consist of rock or an alternative type of music. My favorite artists as of now are probably Gavin DeGraw, The Fray, and Switchfoot. Yet, even though I do not particularly like rap, I will often say that I do. I gave in to the stereotype.

We as a generation should not live up to those stereotypes given to us. We should stand up for ourselves and be our own person, not the person someone tells us to be.

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The United States of America is a beacon of liberty, hope and possibility for people all over the world. Of up most importance is that this beacon continue to shine and inspire the human spirit. Our country is a melting pot and historically been enriched by immigration and the diversity that cements in place a constant vigilance that freedom, individual rights and the rule of law are supreme values in this country.

Our borders are sovereign and precisely define the geography of our country. Anyone be they individual or intruders from another country that crosses our boarders without permission from the authority charged with protecting our boarders and our sovereignty, does so illegally and without the sanction of our laws. To avoid violating our laws and the consequences of said violation no foreigner can enter our country without the proper permission, visa or passport, to do so is an invasion of our national sovereignty and will be dealt with as such, without exception.

However, immigration has historically served the national interest and is important to the future of our country on many levels. Therefore, I have instructed the Federal Reserve, the Department of Commerce and others to immediately form a committee and bring annual estimates of immigration quotas that can be shown to enhance the economic interests of the nation. These estimates shall be used to construct a policy that orders and regulates the flow of immigrates into the country. They shall be adjusted annually and policies implemented to insure that predetermined quotas are adhered to and enforced.

The failure to set and maintain a control on illegal immigration has resulted in a problem. Many illegal immigrates already reside inside the boarders of the United States without proper identifications, permissions to work, visas and passports. Further there has been a practice of allowing illegal immigrates to remain in the country without assuming the responsibilities of preparing to become citizens and without the intention of assimilating into the country and thereby joining and contributing to the grand social experiment of diversity and liberty that is the United States. This will ultimately weaken that fabric of our nation. It will dilute who we are and what we stand for in the world. This will be corrected and the strength of our national fabric will be healed and strengthened. We believe everyone who comes to the United States to become an American and participate with full responsibilities as a citizen can find a place in this great nation.

Immigrates who are in the country and new immigrates will be required to assimilate into the fabric of our national life, learn our language, culture and the workings of our society and government. They will be required to demonstrate that they are here to prosper economically and contribute to our national economy. They will be required to actively pursue citizenship and they will be restricted from exporting any wealth from our country until they have become citizens and earned the right to a full decision about sending the money they have earned back to their home country. A visitor in our country who steals from this nation to the advantage of another nation or individuals residing in another nation is not a welcome guest and will be understood in this manner and treated accordingly.

I believe what I have said this morning sets a new tone and direction for the immigration policies this country will hold into the future. I have directed the appropriate governmental agencies to begin immediate preparations to enforce these policies. I have also sent to the Congress legislation to be passed thereby reconciling policy with the law. I anticipate that the citizens of the country will make it known to their representatives that these reforms are important and should be enacted with all haste.

The most important duty of the Presidency is to protect the nation’s sovereignty. I appeal to the citizens of the United States of America that the integrity of our national sovereignty must be protected and I ask for your supported in the execution of my duties.

About the Author:

Warren Cooley is a teacher, writer, thinker and web entrepreneur. He is currently focused on clearing the cultural and social misunderstanding about the nature of love and offer a deeper more profoundly useful notion of the power of love. He invites you to visit http://www.loveaha.com He is also beginning what he refers to as “open source research” aimed at solving the world’s energy problems by inventing a new fusion energy source and engine. Occasionally he also writes on politics and education. If you would like to contact him directly email: warcooley@comcast.net

In a democratic country Electoral process should be fair and square. Some times political parties seek the help of the underworld and employ the unsocial elements during election. The politicians who want to win ‘at any cost’ stoop to such low level dirty tricks. Some of the candidates maintain smaller teams of criminals at different stations. They commit crimes ignoring public protests. Arrogance is their trade mark. They extract funds by forceful means from people to meet their day to day luxurious life style-expenses.

The polling officers are terrorized into submission. Most of the officers are recruited from local officials from Banks, Educational institutions, Government servants etc. Their places of residence and other whereabouts are known to these crooks and black-mailers. All it takes is a veiled threat. “Do you want to go back home in one piece?”

Although identification cards with photo are issued to most of the voters, the crooks impersonate several voters and caste their votes. The polling officers wouldn’t dare open their and object. With or without IDs they make sure all the absentees vote for their own candidate. A list of all the absentees is provided by the candidate’s office. Their data bank is always updated. The sick and the dead are also included in the list.

The representatives of the opposing candidates are kept away by force or threat. Only the polling Officers are silent witnesses to such well organized crime. They laugh at democracy and the Election department. They have a large supply of duplicated IDs and technology to change photographs whenever they need it.
Some say the Defense Services should be called in to supervise the entire proceedings without involving the local civilians. A computer system should be provided to check the authenticity of the ID cards. Air force, Army or Navy personnel can handle the polling station duties more efficiently. It will be difficult to threaten or black-mail them.

Candidates, Children, Crime - “Presidential Election Polls for 2008 Presidency”.

The location of the Pretoria Hilton is unique. On one side you have the interminable plains of the southern Savannah, on the other the majestic range of the Transvaal and all around it, the luscious valley irrigated by the Olifants and the Krosolbal rivers. The hotel is indeed one of the finest in South Africa.The exquisite furnishings and appointments are matched by an excellent cuisine and impeccable service. Herr Aleck Van Michelsen runs a tight ship.

There was a knock at the door of my suite on the 25th floor. Without waiting for me to invite whoever was at the door to come in, the door opened and in walked someone I did not expect to see:

“Jesus, Mandela” I exclaimed.

“No, no, Nelson. Nelson Mandela” he replied and laughed.

It had been a few years since Mandela and I had shared a cell in a place that, I was sure, we were both trying to forget. I got up and we embraced, while his Biri Biri body guards stood outside by the door.

“What happened to your beard” he asked while he looked at me with affection. I returned the look and asked:

“What happened to your black curls? You are as gray haired as Richard Gere!”

He proceeded to tell me about his problems with the various coalitions, the new labor laws and the pressures from the white separatists. But he referred to them in a very objective way but not devoid of passion. At the end he said:

“I heard you were in Pretoria and I knew I would have to come and see you in spite of the crazy schedule my people keep me under. I want you to come with me for lunch at the Pretoria Lawn Tennis and Country Club. You know, that club used to be a milk white facility. He sort of rubbed that one in. He knew I had been a member. What he did not know was that at the time I was madly in love with two of the member’s wives, and the club with its manicured forests, gentle hills and its discreet and inviting guest suites was a perfect place for illicit love affairs.

“I’ll be delighted.” I replied while I pulled out the miniature Phillips recorder from my attaché case and set it on the coffee table. He looked at it and with some resignation and observed:

“I see you still pushing a pencil. What happened to book number 6?”

He was referring to the book I worked on when I was in jail.

“Book number 6 came and went. You remember it was all about the situation in South Africa in the seventies. A French publisher picked it up and it did well, judging by the checks I get once in a while. But, I am not going to ask what you been up to. You Nobel prize winners are all the same. You run up to Stockholm, fill up with smorsgarbord and acquavit, get your medal pinned on your new suit, verify the numbers on the check and hightail it to warmer climates. “

He laughed and produced some Callard and Bowser Mint toffees from his pocket. I took a couple and we toasted each other as we removed the familiar green wrapper. It had been a ritual in jail.

“You got to keep things in perspective” he observed in a sober tone.

“It took the human race several million years to learn how to walk on two feet. And it has taken less than twenty years to recognize the rights that some people have in their own land. We are happy about our accomplishments in South Africa “

I added: ” Nelson, it is only the beginning. We all have much to learn still. Especially about tolerance. Incidentally, where did you get the mint toffees? I can’t seem to find them anywhere in Pretoria”

“Our Ambassador in London sends them by diplomatic pouch. I call it getting even for all those years without them! Now, let us go to the Club”

We took the elevator down to the lobby. His bodyguards led us to the front door of the hotel.

“Gee, this is a nice bus” I said. It was a 450 hp Mercedez Benz equipped in Italy with air conditioning, bar, lavatories and reclining seats.

“Where do I sit” I asked Mandela.

He turned to one of his lieutenants and listened for an instant. Then he turned to me and said:

“This time you sit in the back of the bus!”

Chemical engineer by training, international executive by merit and writer by addiction. Former syndicated columnist of Technology columns, has written for television and movies. His humorous articles contain fine satire and have been published in 4 languages.

Quote: “Love and smiles teach tolerance; days without either are days wasted.”

As it happens every few years, some zealous souls revive the controversy about the use and abuse of foreign languages in our country. They seem to forget that languages are indispensable links in our society and that they do not necessarily relegate nor pervert the use of our common language English

Let us go back for a minute to that day in Plymouth Rock where the Mayflower has just anchored in the small bay. After fastening the rigging and checking the cargo lashes, the ship sits peacefully as if resting from the long crossing and no longer exposed to the battering of the waves and the disturbing creaking of the beams, the wooden grommets and the deck planks.

The executive officer knocks on Captain Christopher Jones’ door and, after being told to enter, he stands at attention in front of the desk where the Captain is going over the meager inventory of their stores.

“Sir, I just came back from shore. All I found were some large and very strange black canaries with a red nightcap and a swinging nose that make the craziest noises. I also ran into some of the natives who appeared quite friendly and by signs, offered us some tacos and enchiladas..”

“Tacos and enchiladas? Hey my name ain’t Cortés. Now what did the natives say?”

“Sorry sir, I could not understand a word they said and they did not understand anything I said. Maybe if you give me permission I can have little Freddie Bartholomew sit down with one of their people and they can both learn our languages. Then, we can use them as interpreters..”

Captain Smith looked out the porthole toward the lush greenery that hugged the coastline and, all of a sudden, banged his fist on the table and roared:

“Absolutely not! I will not allow no foreign tongue aboard ship. For that matter not even offshore! The official language is English! Tell the natives that they can come back to peddle their fettuccini when they can speak the King’s English! And keep little Freddy Bartholomew away from the natives! You are dismissed.”

Of course that was the end of the Mayflower and its merry Pilgrims. In minutes, the crew had filled the casks with sweet water, lifted the boats, raised anchors and turned into the wind for the long voyage home. No Thanksgiving. No Pocahontas and no Donald Trump. There was no settling of the new continent and, in due course, of course none of the great things that make this country great; things like the House of Representatives, the Senate, shrewd lobbyists, hot coffee lawsuits, American Idol, fat girls college football, violent Hollywood movies and synthetic hamburgers.

Now seriously. This country had many native dialects before the Pilgrims arrived. The native Americans used more than 100 dialects and funny enough, there seemed to be a common language base to each dialect. They had no trouble communicating with each other as also their hand and sign system allowed for immediate understanding. For long distances, they used their over- the- air smoke transmissions that worked fine, except in windy or rainy days.

The Spaniards who got here before the Pilgrims brought with them several Indo-European languages and dialects besides Spanish. Their ships were crewed by Spaniards of course, but also Portuguese, French, English, Normands, Waloons, Dutch, Welsch, Genoese, Valencians, Basques, Sicilians, Corsicans, Tunisians, and a few Moroccans. They all communicated in Spanish but among themselves - as recorded in the diaries of that time - they spoke their own languages. True linguistic democracy.

The natives of this new world, liberal-minded as they were, wanted to understand these smelly bearded dodos that had landed on their shores from those floating doghouses with the laundry hung on top. They were also anxious to learn more about the huge dogs the strangers rode and the reason they were all dressed like something out of OZ.

The natives did not waste time and set to learn the language of their visitors at once. They also took pains to teach the Spaniards their own tongues. The visitors on their part, wanted to talk to the thousands of semi-dressed natives that they found everywhere so that they could sell them some decent clothes and, in the process, convince them that their God was better than their God.

Multilinguism has been with us since before the beginning, so it does not make sense that after a few centuries, some misguided ignoramuses (can not find an appropriate label) perhaps influenced by recent Goebbelian demagogies, want to force English as the official language of the United States of America.

It is like insisting that cars should be driven on the roads and highways that cross the country. If we think about it, we should ask: “What the hell is an official language?” Is it like the chronometers at the Olympic Games? That story about the official chronometer sounds ominous. It seems to imply that time measuring is the exclusive property of such and such brand name. Actually, there is no need to exclude anyone from keeping time. Just say - and in terms of commercial advertising it sounds better - that brand x has been selected as the official chronometer, or time measuring and recording (if you are fond of obvious euphemisms) instrument for the Games.

Same with the country’s language. Everyone knows that English is the language spoken in theUnited States. If some states have a large percentage of Spanish-speaking citizens, it does not hurt a damn bit to go bilingual in some of the services provided by the state to its citizens. It is ridiculous to point out that having a few extra lines printed on public communications will wreck the state’s financial health. In the end, those citizens that benefit from the extra lines are paying taxes the same as the rest of us.

It is clear that new citizens, legal and otherwise must learn English, and most of them do. The fact that some of the bi-lingual educational programs in some states become costly bureaucratic empires with no regard for the task they are supposed to perform, is another matter entirely. We all have read about the outrageous salaries and perks of some of the administrators of these programs. We know about the extremely contradictory tendency that some schools have about their non-English speaking students remaining for years in classes where instruction is in their own language. These students, in this isolated environment are naturally prevented from learning English. The concept of “transition” is totally prostituted in those cases. This transition was never designed to cover a long period of time; just long enough for non-English speaking children to get acquainted with their new environment. The efforts should be directed at rectifying the situations created by the bilingual policies and eliminating the abuses that are committed in its name.

But let us go back to the Pilgrims. In the end, Captain Smith agreed to let some of his crew to learn the natives’ tongues and teach them English. In a few weeks they could communicate with each other. Once that first step was accomplished and there was a spirit of universal understanding, the good Pilgrims started to talk taxes. You know the rest of the story!

Chemical engineer by training, international executive by merit and writer by addiction. Former syndicated columnist of Technology columns, has written for television and movies. His humorous articles contain fine satire and have been published in 4 languages.

Quote: “Love and smiles teach tolerance; days without either are days wasted.”

I have a little test for you. Now I know you can find the answer with a quick search on the Internet, but let’s just see if you can answer it by yourself first.

Of these two names, which do you immediately recognize? After all, they both died on the same day, and both of their deaths were reported by all the major news media. Ready? Here we go.

Raymond M. Werner from Pampa, Idaho, and Anna Nicole Smith, nee Vickie Lynn Hogan, from Mexia, Texas.

Here’s a few hints, though I doubt they will help. She was 39 at the time of her death, he was 21. She was possibly worth millions, his income was probably not very far above the poverty level although he held an important position. She was voluptuous and sexy, knew the rich and famous, and had been seen on TV lots of times, From the picture I saw of Mr. Werner, he was a fresh faced kid, nice looking, but probably wasn’t much different in appearance from a lot of other guys his age. She sought the spotlight, he went to work each day and did his job to the best of his ability.

Despite her fame, due in part to a sexy body and a willingness to show it to the public, as of her death she contributed nothing of real value or substance to society, nor did she seem to make an attempt to. Mr. Werner gave it his best shot and died trying to do the right thing.

She left one child, and a nasty court battle which is apparently being waged by people who have a claim to being close to her but who don’t really care whether or not she eventually gets to rest and who have made her baby daughter into a prize to be claimed. Mr. Werner is survived by his mother, stepfather, brother, wife and members of a community which grieves for his loss and which is trying to support his family.

Any luck yet?

Let’s leave this discussion for just a couple of minutes to try to put some things in perspective.

As of a couple of years ago, a tall guy who could stuff a ball through a hoop better than a bunch of other tall guys could expect to earn between $349,458.00 and $10,067,750.00 in his first year. He could also expect instant fame and recognition. His every move on and off the court would be tracked by somebody, and if he died it would be reported around the world. His fans would mourn, people would write stories about him, and make tearful comments to the press about his life and passing. If he was really good at stuffing balls through hoops, he would soon be making a whole lot more in income, not even including endorsements and appearances.

The average salary for the people we trust to mold and form the minds of our children and help to set them on the pathway to success, not to mention babysitting them for us during the day, was $46,752.00. Just to put that in perspective, the average income of the professional ball stuffer and bon vivant in his first year could be as much as $5,034,049.00. Even the low end figure of $349,458.00 is almost 7.5 times as much as the average income of teachers.

As of a couple of years ago, a rookie professional football player could expect at least $250,000.00 in his starting year. According to recent statistics provided by the U. S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics:

“Police and sheriff’s patrol officers had median annual earnings of $45,210 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $34,410 and $56,360. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,910, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $68,880. Median annual earnings were $44,750 in Federal Government, $48,980 in State government, and $45,010 in local government.”

These are people who protect us and our children. They do not simply entertain us. Many of them put their lives on the line every day for what? For a lousy $45,000.00 a year if they have some seniority. We won’t even get into the divorces and mental problems they and their families face as a result of their decision to “Protect and to Serve”.

Remember Mr. Werner we were talking about earlier? I don’t have exact figures but based on what I know about his job and position he was probably making between $20,000.00 and $30,000.00 a year. I was able to get that estimate by looking at the U. S. military’s basic pay tables. You see, Mr. Werner, or I should say, Private First Class Raymond M. Werner, who we forgot about in the furor over the death of Anna Nicole Smith and the continuing soap opera, well, he died in Iraq trying to do the job that he had sworn an oath to do.

Ten years from now, who shall we remember? The buxom beauty with the class of a tramp steamer or the nice young guy from Pampa, Idaho who tried to do the right thing?

What IS important to us?

Donovan Baldwin is a Texas writer and a University of West Florida alumnus. He is a member of Mensa and is retired from the U. S. Army after 21 years of service. In his career, he has held many managerial and supervisory positions. However, his main pleasures have long been writing, nature, .and fitness. In the last few years, he has been able to combine these pleasures by writing poetry and articles on subjects such as health, fitness, yoga, writing, the environment, happiness, self improvement, and weight loss.

Learn about caring for your cat or kitten at http://cat-and-kitten.com/