Thomas Jefferson, a National Treasure

This is another one of those emails that I just couldn't resist sharing here on my blog. What a remarkable man that he was.  I remember visiting Montecello, the home that he built in Virginia, and being amazed by some of the innovations that he incorporated into his design.

This is amazing. There are two parts. Be sure to read the 2nd part(in RED). Thomas Jefferson was a very remarkable man who started learning very early in life and never stopped. At 5, began studying under his cousin's tutor. At 9, studied Latin, Greek and French. At 14, studied classical literature and additional languages. At 16, entered the College of William and Mary. At 19, studied Law for 5 years starting under George Wythe. At 23, started his own law practice. At 25, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. At 31, wrote the widely circulated "Summary View of the Rights of British America and retired from his law practice. At 32, was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress. At 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence. At 33, took three years to revise Virginia 's legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom. At 36, was elected the second Governor of Virginia, succeeding Patrick Henry. At 40, served in Congress for two years. At 41, was the American minister to France , and negotiated commercial treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams. At 46, served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington. At 53, served as Vice President and was elected president of the American Philosophical Society. At 55, drafted the Kentucky Resolutions, and became the active head of Republican Party. At 57, was elected the third president of the United States . At 60, obtained the Louisiana Purchase , doubling the nation's size. At 61, was elected to a second term as President. At 65, retired to Monticello . At 80, helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine. At 81, almost single-handedly created the University of Virginia , and served as its first president. At 83, died on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, along with John Adams Thomas Jefferson knew because he himself studied the previous failed attempts at government. He understood actual history, the nature of God, his laws and the nature of man. That happens to be way more than what most understand today. Jefferson really knew his stuff. A voice from the past to lead us in the future: John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement: "This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House, with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone." "When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe ." -- Thomas Jefferson "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."-- Thomas Jefferson "It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle, which if acted on, would save one-half the wars of the world."-- Thomas Jefferson "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." -- Thomas Jefferson "My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." -- Thomas Jefferson "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."-- Thomas Jefferson "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -- Thomas Jefferson "To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."-- Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property - until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

God Created Children

Okay - this doesn't quite fit - and I'm not techie enough to fix it = but I sooooooooo wanted to share. It put a smile on my face today and I needed one and thought that some of you might too.

This is it! Smile;  we all know that Grand kids are the BEST!!!!!!! GOD CREATED CHILDREN (AND IN THE PROCESS, GRANDCHILDREN!) To those of us who have children in our lives,  whether they are our own, grandchildren,  nieces, nephews, or students...  here is something to make you chuckle.  Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children.  After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve.  And the first thing he said was 'DON'T! '  'Don't what ?' Adam replied.  'Don't eat the forbidden fruit.' God said.  'Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit!'  ' No Way! ' 'Yes way! '  'Do NOT eat the fruit! ' said God.  'Why? '  'Because I am your Father and I said so ! ' God replied, wondering  why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants.  A few minutes later, God saw His children  having an apple break and He was ticked !  'Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit? ' God asked.  'Uh huh,' Adam replied.  'Then why did you? ' said the Father.  'I don't know,' said Eve.  'She started it! ' Adam said.  'Did not ! '  'Did too! '  'DID NOT! '  Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own.  Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.  If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom  and they haven't taken it, don't be hard on yourself.  If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think  it would be a piece of cake for you ?  THINGS TO THINK ABOUT ! 1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.  2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.  3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.  4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat  word for word what you shouldn't have said.  5. The main purpose of holding children's parties  is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.  6. We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.  ADVICE FOR THE DAY:  Be nice to your kids..  They will choose your nursing home one day! AND FINALLY:  IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION AND YOU GET A HEADACHE,  DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:  'TAKE TWO ASPIRIN' AND 'KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN'!!!!!  Quick, send this on to ten people within the next five minutes.  Nothing will happen if you don't, but if you do,  Ten people will be laughing!!!

The Web is a Wondrous Thing

The web is a wondrous thing - especially for someone who grew up when encyclopedias were the only way to go.  I was such a nerd...that I used to read the encyclopedia like it was a good book.  Maybe that's why I have trouble with the web.

People say that you can find anything that you want on the web...and I guess that you can...but you can also find things that you don't want ( I am not referring to porn here).  Every time that I start searching for something that is relatively new to me...I end up all over the place.  The web tempts me with all kinds of  new information that I feel compelled to follow up on. By the time that I am done purusing all this needless information - I can rarely find my way back to where I really need to be. These searches can be very time consuming and that makes them expensive for me - I am an artisan jeweler...with a shop on the web, that you really should visit...and time is money for me. I honestly don't know what I was looking for last night, but I ended up watching some videos on coloring metal and they mentioned a craft pad.  It sounded great - didn't leak - liquids just sat there - you could wash anything off it....something that I just had to have.

So I proceeded to search for these little miracles and found one for about $15.00 somewhere.  Then I saw something from a woman who was buying oven liners at Walmart and using them for the same purpose at 1/3rd the price.  Sounded good to me - until I found the stuff at the bottom of her page that said she was all wet...that the oven liners didn't work like the craft pad, but what this women had found, was working well at 1/2 the cost.  I wasted allot of time on these stupid pads.

I got up this morning to the realization that I should have just bought the $15.00 one and not wasted all that time looking for cheaper alternatives - I figured that I'd blown anything that I would have saved with all the time I spent looking for a cheaper product.  No sweat, I said to myself, I had to go to Michael's Craft Store today and I'd just pick one up.  Guess what....they had no idea what I was talking about...Zip ... Nada ... Nothing.

I came home - used an old paint dish from my tole painting days and decided that what I really didn't like were the patina's and acid paints that I had bought to color my metals....you know, some days you just can't win.....

Tyranny in New Hampshire

HELP OUR TROUBLED ECONOMY - BUY JEWELRY AT MY SHOP :)

This is something that I picked up today on Face Book and thought that it should be shared because it'll never be in the main stream media.  I found it truly scary...

NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGISLATOR: WE NEED TO 'RESTRICT FREEDOMS' OF CONSERVATIVES

OKAY....Let's all just close our eyes and PRETEND that a conservative legislator made this very same comment about liberals in their state...does anyone out there think the mainstream propagandists would have IGNORED it?

We have an elected official suggesting that government be used in the United States of America to eliminate freedoms for certain citizens in order to gain political control and the media is silent.

Sounds like tyranny, indeed.

A New Hampshire legislator wants her constituents to know that she feels conservatives are the "single biggest threat" her state faces today, and she wants to use her powers to legislate to "pass measures that will restrict" the freedoms of Granite State conservatives.

In a blog post made last month on the left-wing site Blue Hampshire, 3rd District State Representative Democrat Cynthia Chase advised her fellow legislators to use their positions to make New Hampshire less welcoming to any conservative or libertarian planning on moving to her state—not to mention those already in residence.

For those unaware, a conservative project of sorts has been underway in New Hampshire since 2001. The idea is that Americans of conservative ideals are to move to New Hampshire, gather in communities, run for office, and work to drive the state toward libertarianism and conservatism. It is called the "Free State Project" and adherents are called "Free Staters."

These Free Staters figure that the state’s motto, “Live Free or Die,” should really mean something and it is these citizens whose freedoms legislator Chase wants to oppress.
In her December 21 post, Chase wrote that, "Free Staters are the single biggest threat the state is facing today."

"In the opinion of this Democrat, Free Staters are the single biggest threat the state is facing today. There is, legally, nothing we can do to prevent them from moving here to take over the state, which is their openly stated goal. In this country you can move anywhere you choose and they have that same right. What we can do is to make the environment here so unwelcoming that some will choose not to come, and some may actually leave. One way is to pass measures that will restrict the 'freedoms' that they think they will find here. Another is to shine the bright light of publicity on who they are and why they are coming."

Of course, it is one thing to be a proponent of laws that might have the unintended consequences of restricting others' freedoms. If one truly believes in such policies, well, they may be disastrously wrong, but at least they'd be honestly wrong. A fine point, to be sure.

But here we have a legislator that doesn't just want to pass laws that are tangentially restrictive. She wants to purposefully use her powers to write laws to target individuals with whom she disagrees, take away their freedoms and liberties, and all in the hopes that the citizens she is oppressing might move away from her state.
As New Hampshirite Steve MacDonald notes, "this sounds like tyranny."

Imagine if a legislator had written a blog post targeting the freedoms of gays, or women, or some other minority? One would think that the media would go wild with such a story. But here we have an elected official suggesting that government be used in the United States of America to eliminate freedoms for certain citizens in order to gain political control and the media is silent.

Sounds like tyranny, indeed.

Rest in Peace

 Another  email that I felt should be shared with more people than just my email groups, so I thought that I would put it here.  Have a great day and come visit my shop  for some fun jewelry

An Obituary printed in the London Times.....Absolutely Brilliant !!

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- And maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, Sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death,
-by his parents, Truth and Trust,
-by his wife, Discretion,
-by his daughter, Responsibility,
-and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 5 stepbrothers;
- I Know My Rights
- I Want It Now
- Someone Else Is To Blame
- I'm A Victim
- Pay me for Doing Nothing

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

I Don't Know Anything

Another pertinent email that seems to capture allot of what I have been feeling since the election, I still have trouble believing that we have nobama for 4 more years as our leader.   Seeing that others feel the same way that I do, seems to help, a little bit.  I don't think that I have even watched the news very often since election day - I just can't seem to care anymore.  Jewelry is still a good thing to raise spirits with - so - come to my shop and buy some little goodie to make yourself and me happy :)

Well, It's now official; I don't know anything.     I thought for sure that given such a clear choice, Americans would     vote for     love of country over self-gratification.     I was wrong.     I thought, that just as every presidential election in my lifetime,     the bad     economy would be hung around the incumbent's neck, sinking him.     I was wrong.     I thought that even those few Americans who were fortunate enough to     still be     fully employed (not counting those leeching off the public system)     would be     cognizant of how much pain their neighbors were in and elect someone     who would     at least try to make improvements.     I was wrong.     I thought that now that FINALLY some of the disturbing truths about     our first     black president had come to light, voters would reject a man so     dangerously at     odds with the American experience.     I was wrong.     I thought the 2010 elections and the Tea Party meant something.     I thought the enthusiasm on display at Romney/Ryan events,     contrasted with the     lack of same at Obama/Biden events meant something.     I thought Americans would never sell their liberty for the sake of     trinkets like     cell phones or even big shiny lies like 'free health care'.     I was wrong.     Never in a million years would I have supposed that America would     support a     president who left his (our) people to die at the hands of our     enemies overseas     without lifting a hand to help, then lie about what he watched in     /real time/ for over two weeks,     then lie about the lie for another month.     I was wrong.     I thought Americans could tell a hawk from a handsaw.     I was wrong.     We were offered the clearest choice we've has since 1980, where we     had malaise     and a misery index on one hand and a shining city on a hill on the     other.     Back then, we chose the city on the hill. This time the choice was     between a man who says 7.9% unemployment and $4.00 gas is the new     normal and a     guy whose entire career has been about fixing broken entities.     We chose to stay broken.  And Broke.     Maybe I'm wrong about the ramifications of this choice.  Maybe     windmills will actually     turn out to be a viable energy source. Maybe an America diminished     will be loved overseas.     Maybe a nuclear Iran won't be a threat. Maybe Israel is over     reacting. Maybe western     civilization was always over rated. Maybe life under sharia is fun.     Maybe when the rest of the world realizes that we have no intention     of ever paying back     that $16,000,000,000,000.00 (and counting) that we've borrowed from     them, they won't     devalue the dollar, causing hyper inflation here at home.  Maybe      China will just keep on     giving us money and not demand our hearts, souls, national monuments     and marriageable     daughters as payment.     I've watched my candidate lose elections before but I've never felt     the way I     did election night when this one was called for Obama.     It wasn't bitterness or sadness or even disappointment.  It took me a     while to figure out what it was.  Then it hit me; it was horror.     Pure, unadulterated horror.     *Not because of Obama, but because of what it says about     us, the American people, that we chose amorality, dishonor and self     before posterity.*     It shouldn't have even been close. Faced with the choice between taking     charge of our destiny and tackling our financial problems, we opted     to get high     and have sex. We reelected a guy who doesn't understand that a     growing economy     creates more tax payers that will bring in more revenue than higher     taxes ever will.  A Commander in Chief who doesn't know our military     still uses     bayonets. A man who wants to control the economywithout even knowing     the difference between bankruptcy and liquidation.  It was one thing     to elect a     person without qualifications and buying into his line of 'Hope and     Change',     *but it's something else to deliberately choose his failed policies     over someone who *     *has actually achieved success in life.**  I never dreamed America     would do that.*     Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, Hello Idiocracy!     Goodbye, economic recovery.     Goodbye, energy independence.     Goodbye, religious liberty.     Goodbye, liberty and justice for all.     Goodbye, America dream.     It profits a man nothing to lose his soul, even for the whole world,     but we threw our souls away for cell phones and birth control pills.     In the twentieth century (the American Century), we stepped up to     the plate     three times and saved the rest of the world from fascism, nazism and     communism.  We were the cavalry, always riding to the rescue.     Now, we've gotten rid of our horses, spent all our money on windmills,     alienated our allies, bowed to our enemies, cut ourselves off from     our own     natural resources,thrown away our children's birthright and spent     their inheritance.     And we did it on purpose.     When the wolf is at the door (and he's coming, yelling 'Allahu     Akbar') we're     going to find out that there is no one out there to come to our rescue.     On the bright side, maybe it'll all turn out great.  After all, I don't     know anything.

Bravo Australia

Another excellent email that I received the other day - we worry so much about political correctness today that we forget to worry about our safety, but that is not the case with Julia Gillard of Australia....she has her head screwed on correctly. One of my daughters is ready to move, and I could very easily be convinced also. My website could work as well from there as it does here - it just might be a little tougher to service the retail shops in Scottsdale that carry my work :)

W O W ! She Did It Again!!! Australia says NO -- This will be the second Time  Julia Gillard has done this! She sure isn't backing down on her hard line stance and one has to appreciate her belief in  the rights of her native countrymen.  A breath of fresh air to see someone lead.  Australian Prime Minister does it again!!  The whole world needs a leader like this! Prime Minister Julia Gillard - Australia  Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia  law were told on Wednesday to get out of  Australia, as the government targeted radicals  in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.  Separately, Gillard angered some Australian  Muslims on Wednesday by saying she supported  spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.  Quote: 'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST  ADAPT... Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this  nation worrying about whether we are offending  some individual or their culture. Since the  terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced  a surge in patriotism by the majority of  Australians.'  'This culture has been developed over two  centuries of struggles, trials and victories by  millions of men and women who have sought  freedom.'  'We speak mainly  ENGLISH, not Spanish,  Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian,  or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to  become part of our society,  learn the language!'  'Most Australians believe in God. This is not  some Christian, right wing, political push, but a  fact, because Christian men and women, on  Christian principles, founded this nation, and  this is clearly documented.  It is certainly  appropriate to display it on the walls of our  schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you  consider another part of the world as your new  home, because God is part of our culture.'  'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question  why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live  in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.'  'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR  LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every  opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are  done complaining, whining, and griping about  Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or  Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take  advantage of one other great Australian  freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.'  'If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't  force you to come here. You asked to be here.  So accept the country YOU accepted.'  NOTE: IF we circulate this amongst ourselves  in Canada & USA , WE will find the courage to start  speaking and voicing the same truths.  If you agree please SEND THIS ON and ON, to as  many people as you know...