On the spreading of "your wealth".

And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"  In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise."  Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them , "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you."  Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?"  He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."

John 3: 10-14.

Be careful of who you call a "socialist" Mr. McCain.

Reporting live from the "real" Virginia. 

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

King Mob Economics.

(As they say on the introwebnet, click the images to enlarge.)

Food for thought on our addiction to extravagant wealth from our pal King Mob.

Images stolen from The Invisibles Vol. 2 issue 22 by Grant Morrison, Chris Weston and crew.  One of my favorite issues of my all time favorite comics series.

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

Obama Clause is coming to town.

This afternoon, Barack Obama will be speaking at the high school here in the town where I work and where I was born. I would have liked to have gone and seen the nuts and bolts of the political machine up close but the tickets were all gone by the time I heard about it. If I could meet Obama I have a brilliant new economic plan I would like to share with him. Since Obama isn't here (or isn't he...) I'll share it with you, my beloved pals. You might want to sit down, its a a doozy. (I know you are already sitting down. What kind of weirdo reads blogs standing up?)
Okay, my radical new economic plan. Here it goes:

We give take 100% of the wealth from the rich and give it to the poor.

In a very short time we end poverty and hunger. We treat the sick. We shelter the homeless. Crime is dramatically reduced because no one wants for anything. Now if you are one of those fortunate top one to five  percent of Americans that hold all the wealth in this country then this may sound like a bum deal but hear me out. You, my rich friends, will still have everything you ever had. You just get the benefit of sharing it with the rest of your countrymen. Just think of all the new friends you will have! Your new friends will be glad to share it right back with you.  And, you will be freed of your slavery to greed and might stand a better chance at avoiding eternal damnation. Doesn't that sound awesome?! Am I not a genius?!

Well, I have to admit, it's not my plan. I read about it in a book called the New Testament. Ya see about 2000 years ago, this guy named Jesus came up with this plan. It really caught on and he gained a lot of followers. Unfortunately the establishment of the time was not as excited about it and Jesus was killed. However, his followers believed in his economic plan so much that even after his death they made it a reality. Don't take my word for it though, here is a bit from that book I was talking about: "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. There were no greedy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought money from the sales and put it at the Apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." (Acts 4:32-36.) Now unfortunately the establishment was not happy about this and they threw those Apostle guys in jail but I believe this proves that this plan has worked before and can work again. Actually, I believe it will work again. This book I'm talking about describes a time when our world will no longer be ruled by greed but by love. I don't think we have to wait for that time to come. I think we can start making that world exist now by embracing this awesome economic plan. I know it won't be easy. This plan is an exact opposite of the trickle down economics or the ownership society that our country's Republican party has been selling for decades. I guess you could call Jesus' plan an owner less society. It would be a big change but aren't both parties selling themselves as agents of change? Man, if you want change, I got ya some change with this plan. And if you think my economic plan is crazy, wait until you hear my ideas on foreign policy and border security!  Yowza!

Your best pal ever,
Shannon Smith

34 Years on Earth.

Yesterday was the first day of what will be my 35th year on Earth. (Assuming I live to see my 35th birthday.) In my 34 years ratteling around this planet I've learned a few things. These are not opinions. These are irrefutable facts based on 34 years of intensive research. Enjoy:

• There is no such thing as a good place for a cat litter box.
• Bellbottoms look cool but they are very dangerous when worn while riding a bicycle.
• The founding fathers of these United States were some smart fellows. Big brains all around. They made some mistakes though. It was wrong to give lifetime appointments to one out of three branches of the Federal govenrment. It was wrong that the Supreme Court should be put in place by appointment at all. I mean, if your are going to go all modern (at the time) and be one of these new fangled democracy things then go for it. Be a democracy. Oh and about democracy, that whole electoral college thing... yeah... riiggght.
• They also got it wrong with the Executive Branch. Big mistake. That much power on one person, elected or not makes one think they are a king and unfortunately, history has proven that we are stupid enough to treat them like kings. Unless your king is named Jesus or Elvis, kings are always a bad idea.
• Ninjas > Pirates. Hygine is the determining factor.
• Radiohead > Blur > Oasis.
• Desire + practice > talent.
• Flags are false idols and, like kings, a bad idea.
• Pride is not a virtue.
• There is no model of guitar currently in production that sounds better than a Martin HD-28.
• If every alleged Christian in the United States read the book of Acts we would either (a) have to dismantle the nation's political and economic systems or (b) have a lot less wealthy Christians.
• Greed is not a virtue. In fact, Greed is the father of Evil and his favorite weapons are ignorance and fear.
• Knowledge is an illusion but the path to knowledge avoids the nets of ignorance and fear. If one can get close to knowledge without being blinded by greed they might just catch a glimpse of the divine.
• In any situation, love is the always better than the other options.

And that's just about all I'm positive about in this world. Well, there are a few other things but I'm keeping them secret.

Your best pal ever,

Shannon Smith

Labor Day

"Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar?"
-Isaiah 10:1-3

Where Were You 230 Years Ago Today?

"An hereditary aristocracy... will change the form of our governments from the best to the worst in the world." --Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 1786.

"The oppressed should rebel, and they will continue to rebel and raise disturbance until their civil rights are fully restored to them and all partial distinctions, exclusions and incapacitations are removed." --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Religion, 1776.

"A single good government becomes... a blessing to the whole earth, its welcome to the oppressed restraining within certain limits the measure of their oppressions. But should even this be counteracted by violence on the right of expatriation, the other branch of our example then presents itself for imitation: to rise on their rulers and do as we have done." --Thomas Jefferson to George Flower, 1817.

"The advance of liberalism... [encourages] the hope that the human mind will some day get back to the freedom it enjoyed two thousand years ago." --Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1821.

"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." --Thomas Jefferson: his motto.

Open to Interpretation?

capitalism the economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit

socialism a theory by which the means of production and distribution are owned by society rather than by individuals

communism any theory or system of common ownership of property

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Acts 4:32-35 (NRSV).