Send A Gift That Gives Twice

Acts of Kindess Become Difficult
To Find In Times Of Trouble and Turmoil

If You Are Not Suffering,
And Have Something You Can Give Of Yourself
Send A Gift That
Gives Twice



I Hope Your Holiday Season
Is Eclectic!
Gary

To Live, You Have To Learn To Laugh

Rodney Dangerfield

Mitch Hedberg Comedy

Robin Reiser

Russel Peters

Jingles

The Mindless Owners Of Social Networks

I am a member of countless social networks, I participate on all of them.

Each has it's own unique potential. Some offer cross network slideshows or movie hosting.

Some offer cross network music players. Some offer lots of open network html potential which allows for excellent creative control and ability. Each has it's own unique benefits.

But MySpace and Facebook automatically reject ANY url or embed link to Yuwie. Yuwie rejects links to MySpace. So far only the Blog sites seem to have unfettered access to any social network as a host for raw material. The net was founded on the principle of unfettered access to information.

I create across a wide spectrum of web hosts. I want to share my efforts and work with as many people as I can. I make very little on the internet. I create and promote in the hopes that I might touch a mind, open a door. Help create a better world for some. But the mindless and selfish attitude that social network owners have makes that darn near impossible. They are hurting themselves and their users when they use statements for rejection like-our users have found this content objectionable. Like people actually voted to stop content-even though they do not know what it is. Automatic url rejection. If people are to enjoy the web they need unrestrained access to what makes it special. When those of us who are internet savy cannot even post a link because it is a "competitor" than what is the point?. It always seems to be protect my market share at any cost, even though I as a user participate on them all. Maybe I should just stop using all of your "systems". Since you do not give me the courtesy of trying to spread something GOOD.

Gary Graefen 2009

I am all Giggly

Aw gee-California will have to make cuts:
I lived there for over 30 years. It was nice in the late 70's. Some undeveloped land. Reasonable prices and rents. When I left, a dumpy 1 bedroom apartment in Lancaster went for $600 a month. Lancaster is some 90 miles from downtown L.A. in the middle of a desert. Rents in the San Fernando valley, Hollywood etc where so astronomical that whole families where living in 1 and 2 bedroom places. Pay scales for the lower end folk were near or at minimum wage but rents so high workers had trouble finding places to live. Water was scarce already-growing even more so now.
Finding parking is a joke-fees at the local lots-$50 a day? Please. About the same as what some workers make. High State taxes that seem to cover everything except food. Astronomical government fees for everything. House and property values increasing by as much as $60,000 in one year?
Only an insane mind would wonder why they are broke.
I am happy; this economic crisis was long over due. Unmitigated greed has finally bit the beautiful people in the ass. I hope it lasts

Dreams Unfulfilled

As a boy there where many thoughts of adventure and journeys. I remember standing on my grand father’s pier on a lake in Wisconsin. Peering through the water of the lake with a flashlight and seeing a fish at least 3 feet in length scouring for minnows in water not much deeper than the fish itself. I remember the excitement of that moment, thinking I am going to catch that monster fish. Running back up to the house and grabbing my gear I ran back down to the water only to find my monster prize gone.

I was determined to catch this fish. I threw out my line to where it was and waited quietly. An hour passed and it did not return. My Father came down and informed me I had to go to bed. I told him about the fish and how badly I wanted to catch it. He did not perceive how much this meant to me and grabbed me by the hand taking me to bed. I tossed and turned dreaming about this wonderful fish. Suddenly waking up and knowing I had to give it one more attempt. So I snuck out of the house, made my way back to the lake and tried again. Still no fish. Suddenly my father appeared, angry, Gary, Back to bed he screamed at me. This time I decided I would leave the rod-Wrapping the line several times around the pier support pole, and dutifully returning to bed. I woke up early sometime around 6am, ran down to the pier and realized I had hooked my prize. The line was almost completely gone from my reel I had to jump into the water and follow the line as it was pulled around the pier, over to the neighbor’s pier, around the supports there. Then nothing. The line was broken. I was crushed. My fish had gotten away.

Today at 54 I often think about the things I was never able to do. Places I have wanted to go. Adventures unfulfilled. A space journey was always something I have fantasized about. Born in the early fifties through out my lifetime I have watched untold numbers of sci-fi movies. Watched as Man stepped on the moon for the very first time. From the writings of Jules Verne to the show Start Trek I felt I would be destined to step towards the stars one day. Sadly this never happened. I sometimes feel like life has cheated me out of the adventure in living. Missing the glory days of the 1800’s. The rise of the USas a world power. Cattle ranching, the building of a nation from the land. The ability to just hop on horse, take a ride to somewhere no one had ever been-and saying. This here spot is now mine. Never will I be able to climb into a craft and hit a button and say the galaxy is mine. Where should we go?

Sadly my most vivid memories also seem to be some of the worst. Daily body counts of the dead in Vietnam. Stricken families screaming in grief over the loss of their boy. The agonizing and gut wrenching photos of suffering in wars that have covered the globe. World War 1, World War 2,Korea,Vietnam,The gulf,Africa,Russia,Afganistan,Iraq. The list seems endless. The suffering and pain seem endless. Now the news that the vast oceans of autos,trucks,trains and planes-Are slowly choking the life out of the planet. The modern space age which promised to fulfill the dreams of man is actually killing the very planet we call home.

I start thinking to myself, maybe it is better that we never actually reach the stars. Maybe what we are isn’t something that should be propagated through out the endless reaches of space. Will we take our wars and petty squabbles with us?. Will the basic instincts that make us treat each other so poorly on one world be carried off to 10 or 100 worlds.

Will mankind ever grow up?

Sadly I do not really believe we ever will. All the automation and technology in the universe will not change one simple fact.

As a species we are killers. We harm everything we touch, even the very planet we live on.

We talk the talk-But never ever, seem to make the walk.

So perhaps it is better that when I die my dreams go unfulfilled. The Universe really doesn’t need us.

We can’t even co-exist on the only thing we really have for certain-The Planet Earth

The Ten Best Ways To Totally Ruin Your Life

1. Tell Your Wife She's Fat

2. Buy a Pitbull and move next door to a Catlady

3. Give Your Kid a Trumpet For Christmas

4. Hire a Home remodeler-on the cheap

5. Let Your Uncle Willie-Fix your car

6. Quit Your Job-This week

7. Buy Commodity Options-on oil

8. Elect Ralph Nadar-President

9. Take Your Vacation-in Lebanon

10. Move Your Mother in Law-In with You

Anymore You can think Of?

Self Focus: Religion and Philosophy

All that matters is I. The rest they twist and turn in angles of pain. Twisted by there own greed and animosity. When I awake the dawn all that matters is, did I get what I wanted and needed today. I have what I need and damn the rest. The unborn,the poor, the needy,the forgotten. All that matters is that at this moment in time I am satisfied. The tomorrows may not come. I do not care. I will not change who I am or what I want. I will not walk a new path. The old one was to easy and to secure. The tomorrows will come, they always have. I can and will continue with my ignorance. Nothing will happen.

Oh You Stupid Young Dumbass

Women and men do not understand each other well. The biological differences between us create a I don't get you feeling, all the time. I have realized though that as time goes on, we do start to understand each other better. Women lose estrogen, men lose testosterone, and we start meeting in the middle. Older people have a kinda I understand feeling between them.

Young men in particular are handed a horrid thing by nature, constant thoughts of sex. Dynamic and powerful bodies which when taken care of can move hundreds of pounds. Intelligence blinded by the need to procreate.

Sometimes this "gift" of nature finds itself misdirected at those who have lived awhile. We older and more experianced men who have seasoned with time, learned to control our nature, and grown to be "better" people.

This is a story-True, about a younger man who decided to challange me one day. He will never live it down, but I'm sure is far more careful now.

I was driving down a back road in a small town on the border of california called mohave.

The street has one stop sign. I know this stop sign is there and "always" stop at it.

This particular day I was going to the market to pick up some items and stopped at the stop sign. A younger man suddenly appeared in his truck at the corner, doing a "california" roll through at a high rate of speed. I saw him, and dutifully hit the brakes. He suddenly stops and screams out his window at me, You stupid @@@@ watch the @@@@ stop sign. I looked at him with the begininng of an anger only men understand, and hit the gas driving past him.

This in turn really pissed him off. The street is double wide but only 1 lane. There are cars lining the curb and children playing out on the front yards. But there is enough room for a car to fit between the median line and the parked cars.

Our young hero decides to come blazing up next to me between me and the parked cars oblivious to everything but his rage and starts screaming explitives at me. Ending with the phrase: Do You Wanna Fight?

Normally I would have just kept driving, but the dangerous disregard this "man" had for the property and lives of others really ticked me off.

So I looked him in eye and said yea-pull over right there.

He parked, I parked

What he didn't know was that after the death of my friend I had decided it was time to start excercising more. I had been lifting weights,working a stair stepper,running, and returning the muscle mass I was so proud of in my youth.

I had played Football, was a wrestler, hockey,basketball,and a life guard . I worked hard labor jobs in my late teens that had me unloading salt trucks, 80 lb bags-50 tons at a time. You never really lose your strength-it just gets flabby. But with exercise it comes back very quickly. So I was in good shape.

After climbing out of his car he stood there staring at me. I was a bit taller than he but much older. He was in his late 20's. He hestitated.

I looked at him and said "Well fat mouth bring it on" gesturing with my arms to come forward. He complied, walked up to me and swung at my face. He punched at my check. I turn my head with the punch and his fist grazed my check bone.

After his "assault" I simply reacted with a wrestling move. Grabbing him in a head lock and rolled him to the ground. He went down like a bowl of jello. deciding that since he hit me first, I would hit him back I raised up a fist into the air and crashed it into his lower abdomen. He reacted with moderate pain.

Suddenly from out of no where, we were surrounded by 30 or 40 people all screaming fight, fight. I was distracted and released my grip. Somehow he managed to get me around the neck and started to choke the daylights out of me.

Realizing in a split second that this dude is serious and trying to kill me. I kicked off the ground as hard as I could . Rolled over him. Hit the ground butt first, swung around and grabbed him by the neck between my legs. Locking hard and squeezing enough to hurt I looked at him and said.

You see all these people dumbshit-In 3 minutes or so you and I are going to jail. I am going to let you go , get back into my car and leave. Do not attack me again. I released him, started to walk back to my car while the gathered crowd started screaming way to go old man. You sure showed him.

Several youngsters followed me to the store to congratulate me and wondered where I learned the moves.

I wasn't real proud of my behavior that day. But I'm certain this young man will never be so stupid again. The embarrassment must have killed him, and he learned a valuable lesson.

Never judge a book by its cover.

Gary

Between Breath and Deeds

Increasingly I have become more and more disturbed about the people globally who are being persecuted "for their words". Since when do we charge and incarcerate people for writing?. The concept of terrorism in the heat of anger-I outta kill you, he screams. Suddenly the police show up and arrest you for terrorist threats. A women writes about something she feels is wrong-Bridget Bardo-and she is found guilty of inciting hatred. How does one incite hatred?
I think that people who hate, do it of there own choosing.
When we can no longer express ourselves for fear of recriminations isn't that called repression?.
Didn't Freedom of speech have something to do with our fundamental rights?
Maybe I'm old but I thought the right to say something was important.
Any comments?

The War On Your Civil Liberty-The Patriot Act

Still In Effect

Unconstitutional:
The War on Our Civil Liberties (2004)

"A documentary that investigates the ways in which the civil liberties of American citizens

and immigrants have been rolled back since the September 11 and the Patriot Act." -imdb.com

This movie details the recent Passage about The Home Grown Terroist Act
Your Free Speech was Voted away-by using vague Language in an Overwhelming Vote.

Write or call your congressman Today!

I Am Not Afraid

You have a right to say what you believe and so do I You can be who and what you are-I will not condemn you You can live where you decide and attend what you want You can believe what you choose You Can be Rich or Poor You can marry or be single You can Travel where you will You can have many children or none You can work or not You can be educated or illiterate You can be fat or thin You can be Black,White, or Brown You can come from any Nation on Earth You can partake of any food, place or activity within the law I can die for your right to be I can allow my children to die for your right to be I can look you in the eye and Say-You and I are Brothers Because You and I are Americans Please be one-and Vote this coming election My Best wishes for your health and happiness Gary This Blog is dedicated to the millions of young men who never came home. And my two sons, who I am very proud of,who through the Grace of God-Did get home

Survival-The Kiss Of Death

Scientists have predicted:

A world population of 9,309,051,539 By 2050

Oil supplies will end at some point

All our agriculture depends on fertilizers made from oil.

Millions are already starving to death globally

Land use is totally destroying natural habitat globally

Global warming is increasing ,tornados,hurricanes,floods and other natural disasters.

Clean drinking water is more and more difficult to obtain everywhere.

Open land except for parks and agriculture is becoming non-existant.

More and More people will die from disease because of poor sanitation and lack of fresh water.

Global economies are dependant on consumption, yet that very thing is what is destroying the planet.

The only REAL solutions:

Mandatory sterilization, Fixed number of children,mandatory abortions.

Oil use dictated by need and supply,fixed travel allotments

Mandatory requirements of eco sustainable lifestyles, similar to the indian.

Mandatory implementation of green technology

The demise of the personal automobile

The end of democracy as we know it.

Forced pollution control on ALL manufacturing.

Forced lifestyle implementation-ie, you live where and how you are told.

Routine execution of the old,handicapped,mentally ill and everyone else who provides nothing.

If population increases do not stop the above senerio is not just possible but probable. It will happen out of the desire of our species to survive. Or perhaps it will all end due to wars waged for natural resources. Rats eat each other out of lack of space and food.

All that can be done is change-change your lifestyle,change your habits,change your expectations.

It will not matter to me, I will be dead

But my children and grand children will be here-I pity them, all I can offer is hope-But I fear it is empty hope.

The human race has lost its way.

My Reply to Charles Shaughnessy's blog

Hello Charlie,
Yes sadly the world is replete with more doom and gloom. It is extending to every facet of human life and every nation. From economic hardship, to the very serious problems of global warming. I have been writing for years trying to get people to open there eyes. My blog is full of messages written as much as 15 years ago, trying to get people to take action.

But in this holiday season there are some reasons for hope.

Today a global warming conferance has taken significant steps towards addressing the problem.

With a new presidential election soon to take place we have a real opportunity to elect someone who is willing to make sacrifices for the greater public good. And the candidates to fullfill the promise.

Technology is advancing at record breaking pace to try and solve the current and future issues we face as a species.

Awarenesss and the desire to "do something" is gaining momentum

Hundreds of thousands here in America are demanding a return to the fundamental principles of the constitution and American democracy.

The protection of global animal species has taken on a renewed interest, and action is taking place instead of just talk.

Though the path is still unclear the american and foreign auto makers are desperately working for solutions to american dependance on foreign oil. 

Green technology is growing, and the uses expanding.

The message about human rights and dignity expands with the ever increasing functionality and spread of the internet.

The internet has provided a forum for people like you and I, bypassing the political restraints and negative capital issues which affect free speech, the right to know, and political agenda.

So there is HOPE Charlie, a form of hope I havn't felt in a very long time.

I wish you and your family a wonderful and Joyous Holiday Season!
And a prayer that 2008 will be the year history records as the year the world woke up.

Gary Graefen 2008

It Happened In The 60's-and the games began

To Move Forward-

Sometimes You Have To Look

Backward

Commercials

Nescafe

Cracker Jack!

Pepsi

Give Peace A Chance!

Commercials In Black and White

The 60's where a BLAST-Drugs,Sex,and Rock and Roll

The Monkeys

The Beatles

Music In The 60's