Living through a friendly divorce

So here it is. The end of a relationship, a life built together. Whatever the cause the end is painful, messy and most likely confusing. This I know, as this is now my life.


I have hesitated to write any journal type entries on my blog as I didn't feel that a blog was the correct outlet for me to lay out my private thoughts, however with this new development in my life I feel that it would be healing for me to express myself and maybe my story can be relevant to someone else in the same situation.

That being said, I am as of now preparing to end a relationship of thirteen years. We have two children together and quite a bit of history. The end of the relationship isn't a his fault/her fault situation. We have simply grown apart through the years and each feel the other deserves a chance to find a partner that is more suited to the other. Quite civilized for the time being. Who knows what may change as we move further down this path.

We've made the decision and told the children that mom and dad will be breaking up. Now what? Neither of us are interested in dragging lawyers into the mix, we both feel that we can come to acceptable conclusions without paying $200-$300 an hour. So, scratch the yellow book pages to find a divorce attorney.

I received some good advice from someone near and dear to my heart that I will share as to what my first steps should be. I believe that they are worth following and make a strong first step.

1. Create a budget using only your income.

2. Start separating things in your home and try to be fair. Everyone thinks of the major things; big screen TV, stereo system, gaming systems but it is also the small things. Things you need to consider in the division include CD's, DVD's, holiday decorations, photographs and bed, bath and kitchen supplies.

3. Make sure all bills are current. Start thinking about which ones you will be responsible for and which ones your spouse will take.

4. Open your bank account

5. Be prepared to temporarily end or reduce some services until you are financially on your feet.

6. Even if you kids seem okay, they probably aren't. Make sure to spend time with them and talk through their fears and concerns.

Not sure what will happen tomorrow or next week, but for today I am ready to make the small steps.

Benefits of Acupuncture

We’ve all seen images of acupuncture, many times incorrectly depicted in the media, but few people in the United States really know or understand exactly what acupuncture or why it’s beneficial. Many people assume that acupuncture is only good for weight loss or to stop smoking, and most think the treatment will be painful, both of these assumptions untrue.


Acupuncture originated in China about two thousand of years ago and has been in practice throughout the world since. The process involves inserting a very thin needle into acupuncture points that run along the meridian of the body. Meridian’s correspond to an organ that governs specific functions in the body. The placement of the needles in these points helps regulate the flow of the body’s life force known as ‘Qi’ (pronounced Chee). These acupuncture points are described by Western medical professionals as places in the body where the nerves, connective tissues and muscles can be stimulated.

The needles used are very thin and sharp. Unlike hypodermic needles used for shots and taking blood, the ends of the acupuncture needles are not jagged therefore do not cause the pain associated with doctor’s needles. Most people who have had acupuncture report little or no pain when the needles are inserted. Every person reacts to treatment differently but the most common reactions are either feeling energized or feeling of relaxed. If a needle is improperly placed it can cause pain and soreness, this is only one of the reasons you need to ensure you acupuncturist is properly trained and licensed. The acupuncturist should be using sterile single-use disposable needles.

People seek acupuncture treatment for a myriad of afflictions, including the cessation of smoking and weight loss. The areas that have been proven to have the best results are for pain relief, anxiety, and stroke, diabetes, controlling side effects from cancer and AIDS/HIV treatment.

Using acupuncture for the treatment of pain has been widely beneficial to those who have suffered injuries in car accidents, suffer from migraines, have joint and muscle pain, dental pain and even rheumatoid arthritis. The use of acupuncture for pain control is thought to release chemicals in the brain that help to decrease pain in the patient. The World Health Organization has acknowledged the benefits in using acupuncture in for pain relief. Even the U.S. military has implemented the use of acupuncture in the field by teaching “Battlefield Acupuncture” to doctors that are being deployed, after studies have shown that the use of acupuncture before and during surgery greatly reduces need for prescription pain medications after.

Acupuncture has been shown to help with people who suffer anxiety and depression as well as a by-product of those disorders, insomnia. The use of acupuncture has been recommended for patients suffering from chronic or acute paralysis after stoke with significant improvement after four months of treatment.

This holistic treatment has been proven to be beneficial for patients suffering from fatigue and nausea resulting from the cancer treatments as well as aiding in the pain brought on by the disease. The same benefits have been felt by patients suffering from HIV/AIDS.

A properly trained acupuncturist often combines acupuncture with herbal remedies and massage. In order to get the best out of acupuncture treatment is it imperative that you make sure that you are seeing a licensed, fully trained professional. Some states allow MD’s and chiropractors to practice acupuncture with as little as 300 hours of training. The best qualified acupuncturists have attended one of the many fully accredited three-year college programs available throughout the country. The best way to ensure that you are seeing a licensed acupuncturist is to make sure that they have been certified by the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM).

Why Men Can't Commit

Commitment. The very word can send shudders of fear down the spines of many men, leaving women to ponder why men can’t commit. The truth of the matter is his previous baggage may not be to blame. Women may be able to lay their man’s commitment issues at the feet of early man; those most commonly known as the caveman.

As the mysteries of brain are being revealed through scientific study it was discovered that the human brain contains two distinctive parts that can be described as the old brain and the new brain. The old brain, known scientifically as the limbic brain, is where basic human behaviors are controlled. These behaviors can best be described as pre-programmed behaviors that directly impact such things as eating, sleeping, pleasure and pain as well as the automatic systems like the respiratory and circulatory. The very survival of the human species has been dependant on the behaviors dictated by the old brain

The “new” brain, known as the neocortex, represents about two thirds of the human brain and it is the most recent part of the human brain to develop. This part of the brain is the center for reasoning, intelligence, self-awareness and conscience.

While studying drug and alcohol addiction researchers found that in the majority of cases, the instinctive behavior dictated by the old brain will always overcome the reasoning of the new brain. For example, a person can be able to rationalize that a behavior is wrong even though it brings feelings of pleasure but the old brain’s insistence for that pleasure sensation will override the reasoning.

The old brain instincts were honed at a time when man’s life expectancy was short and the need to procreate was key to the survival of our species. This survival instinct would have developed the need for early man to mate with as many women as possible without thought to commitment. It is this pre-programmed instinct that still lurks in modern-day man’s old brain.

Fast forward through the ages and find marriage introduced as a society norm. However, it’s not marriage as we think of it today. Marriage was originally not created as a way to ensure monogamy but as a way to bind families or nations together. Women became property and men still maintained their freedom to carry on with multiple women, as is still the custom in many countries today.

As mankind continued to develop and became more civilized, marriage took on a new dimension, a way of showing that each party was willing to bind themselves to other until death. At direct conflict to the pre-programmed instincts of the man’s old brain impulses.

This is not say at modern man can not overcome his prehistoric tendencies. There is enough evidence to show that new brain development continues in humans and that is can override the old brain instructs. But for some men who seem unwilling to commit, it may not be that he is unwilling but simply unable

Learning to cook

Picture this. A budding chef, determined to make a nice desert for Sunday supper. At the ripe old age of eleven she had already mastered the fine art of making a Betty Crocker cake and had even ventured as far as making cream puffs, but this desert had to be special. So while her parents were off visiting with friends, she ventured into the kitchen armed with a recipe for orange meringue pie. With fierce determination she followed the recipe, step by step.






First, the crust. Done. Check.



Next, the orange filling. Mix. Taste. Perfect.



Finally, the meringue. As she began to mix up the ingredients her know-it-all older brother sauntered in and leaned against the counter.



“What are you going to do with that electric beater?” he asked.



Now our chef at this point in life, figured big brother may actually know more than she, so she explained how she was going to whip the meringue.



“Oh no!” he exclaimed. He told her that using the electric mixer would ruin it. He even pointed out in the recipe where it said mix, but nowhere did it say with an eclectic mixer. After much debate she relented, after all he was three years older and therefore had to be smarter right?



So using a wooden spoon she mixed and mixed and mixed. There were no stiff pikes in the bowl, but perhaps those came when she cooked it. Having convinced herself that all would be fine she poured the eggy substance over the orange filling and popped into the oven and watched anxiously to see if the top would puff.



I’m sure I don’t have to tell you the outcome of this story. The meringue topping never emerged and what did come out of the oven tasted a bit like orange flavored fried eggs that sadly only the family dog and the chef’s four-year old brother would eat. Disheartened, the young chef did not pick up a wooden spoon again for many, many years.



I share this story of one of my biggest culinary failures with you to make you understand that not everyone is born as natural chef. Even Julia Child had to go to school to learn, but you do not need a formal education to learn to cook. You don’t even need a fancy kitchen filled with tons of kitchen gizmos. What you need, is for something to spark your inner culinary genius.



For me that spark was love. First it was the love of a man, and then it was the love of food.



In order to try to dazzle him with my culinary skills I turned to the grandmother of one of my friends. Nona, as known to close friends and family was more than happy to have me in her kitchen and she taught me the basics of Italian cooking. She showed me how to make a tomato sauce that made your mouth sing but took all day to cook, and how to make pasta and gnocchi from scratch.



Having Nona, as mentor was the experience of a lifetime, she kept me motivated with her stories about her learning experiences. She instilled me with a great respect for the art of cooking and helped me to appreciate how cooking can bond generations of families together.



The problem was, I was a young adult with lots of things to do and places to be and found that Nona’s style of cooking didn’t work in my life. So, except for special occasions I rarely cooked more than a quick macaroni and cheese dish, or something equally unimpressive. But, the passion had been sparked so over the years I dabbled with different cooking styles and cuisines.



Years passed, the man was gone but my love of good food remained. I continued to hone my cooking skills and often turned my family into my test subjects. Through trial and error I learned what things worked well together and what things should never, ever be mixed. I poured over cookbooks, learning all about the basics of foods I loved, and was eventually able to tweak recipes I read to be even better, or to recreate dishes I had at favorite restaurants.



By finding this love of cooking I was able to give elaborate dinner parties and cook huge holiday meals for friends and family. I became a co-owner in Il Primo restaurant and evidentially opened The Kitchen Gnome, a personal chef service.





Today, I typically cook Italian or Mexican foods for my family because I found that style of cooking best fits in with my lifestyle. Finding the style that works best for you is key in learning and progressing in your cooking skills. If you don’t like to eat gourmet food why would you lean to make it?



So for those of you out there, who believe that they cannot cook, give up the negative thoughts. Find your spark, experiment, have fun and remember that even experienced chefs sometimes cook turkeys upside down or make scrambled egg pies.

Surviving Cold & Flu Season the Natural Way

The weather outside has changed from the warmth of summer s to the cold, gray days of winter. Your child’s nose is red and running, your co-worker’s hacking cough is expelling germs into the recycled air of your office building. It is officially cold and flu season. But there is hope of avoiding the stuffy head and body aches that invariably follow exposure to the cold and flu virus. You can even achieve good health without having to subject your body to the flu shot.


Practitioners of Chinese medicine advise that a rotation of natural supplements can help you maintain optimal health during this frustrating season. Natural remedies have been used for thousands of years to treat the symptoms associated with the common cold and flu. Recently Western medical doctors have begun to acknowledge the benefits of holistic medicine in viral infections like myxovirus, A.K.A., the flu. The benefits to using natural remedies are both physical, taking what Mother Natural has provided to safely and gently boost our immunity, and financial, the supplements are less costly than a trip to the doctor’s office and a prescription.

According to Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Vicente Valeriano, using a monthly rotation of Echinacea, Goldenseal, Elderberry and Astragalus can help prevent the contraction of a viral infection. Should you contract a virus, taking Zinc, Vitamin C and Burdock in conjunction with Echinacea and Goldenseal can provide relief and shorten span of the virus. All of these supplements are readily available in most health food stores such as Whole Food Market.

Echinacea is a plant is native to the United States. Native Americans have used this plant for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. When ingested the plant stimulates your body’s production of immune cells that will help to fight off viral organisms before they can take hold. This plant is a natural anti-biotic. At the first sign of symptoms take Echinacea every two hours until your symptoms abate. To ensure a complete recuperation continue taking three times a day for one week.


Goldenseal works to treat infection and inflammation. It has been proven to combat not only E.coli but also streptococcus. For the purpose of a cold, Goldenseal helps to relieve congestion. It should be used together with Echinacea for maximum benefit. Goldenseal should be taken every two hours until congestion subsides and then taken three times a day for a week.

Vitamin C is the number one recommended choice to boast immunity. Medical studies prove it helps to shorten the time and reduce the severity of a cold. The suggested dosage for Vitamin C is 500 mgs daily.

Elderberry has been used by holistic healers for a long time. Its components include a powerful antioxidant that can help stabilize cell walls, making it easier to ward off a viral attack.

Astragalus works to combat the fatigue and weakness that commonly accompanies a cold or flu. Recent studies have shown promise in using Astragalus as an immunostimulant for cancer patients enduring chemotherapy treatments.

In 1996 a zinc lozenge was patented as “the cure for the common cold.” Medical research has proven that zinc does greatly shorten the duration of a cold. Zinc ions work as a stimulant to the immune system and as an antirthinoviral agent. This can be purchased over the counter at nearly any store that sells cold remedy medication.

In addition to the above referenced supplements, fresh ginger root is recommended for relief at the first sign of onset of cold and flu symptoms. Brewing a cup of strong ginger tea laced with honey can help to ease upset stomach and help to reduce fever. Dr. Valeriano recommends drinking a cup of the tea while soaking in a hot bath. Once the tea is ingested, lie down under a heavy blanket. The tea along with the heat can help to break a fever.

Of course, the tried and true suggestions should always be adhered to, frequently washing hands, getting plenty of rest, eating foods rich in vitamins and minerals. Products on the market such as antibacterial hand gels are also beneficial to the prevention of viruses.

For optimal prevention of colds and flu following the four-week rotation schedule below is recommended throughout the cold and flu season:

First week: Take one dose of Echinacea and Goldenseal three times a day.

Second week: Take one dose of Elderberry three times a day

Third week: Take one dose of Echinacea and Goldenseal three times a day.

Fourth week: Take one dose of Astragalus three times a day

If you do contract a virus Dr. Valeriano recommends the following for relief of symptoms:

1. Take a dose of Echinacea and Goldenseal every 2 hours

2. Take dose of Vitamin C and Burdock every 3 hours

3. Take a Zinc lozenge every 2 to 4 hours

4. A pot of ginger tea, one cup per hour until pot is finished

Child of the Night

Night falls quickly this time of year. All around me the city comes to life, the sounds of the day fading away until they are exchanged by the pulse of the night life. I walk along the city streets, watching as the street lights turn on, one by one in preordained succession. The shop keepers throw suspicious glances at me as they quickly turn the open signs to closed and lock their doors.


“Go on, move along. Your kind isn’t welcome here.” the owner of an electronics stores snarls.

I can’t say that I blame them after catching glance of myself in one the windows. My clothes are worn and smell of the street. My once blond curls now hang heavy with dirt and oil, and my skin that was once rosy and flawless is now clogged and streaked with dirt. As I look more closely at the face peering back out at me I realize that it is my eyes that have changed the most. Just three-hundred sixty- five days ago my blue eyes shone with the light of youthful wonder and excitement. The eyes that now look back at me are hard and untrusting.

My name is Dawn Taylor and I am but one of hundreds that live on the streets. We are a society of the unwanted, a group of people so beneath everyday society that we are invisible. People look right through us and I am become accustomed to that. In fact, it is when someone looks me in the eye that I begin to wonder about their motives. I have learned that those are the people who usually want something from you, more than likely something you don’t want to give.


“Hey sweet thing,” a man calls from his car window as he slows down next to me. “You need a ride?”

I recognize him, the call him Jack on the street. He is handsome with his perfect facial features, blonde hair and bright blue eyes. His teeth are professionally white and his clothes as expensive as his car, but he can’t anything to disguise his evil nature. I’ve seen what happens to girls that get into his car, they come back broken and bloody.


“No thanks,” I call back, hopeful that the fear I am feeling is not evident.

His face flushes in anger at my refusal to go with him and I know I need to run as fast and as far from him as I can get. I run until I reach a group of people that I can get lost in. Even though I know its wrong I can’t help but hope that Jack has forgotten about me and moved onto another girl.

The night is fully animated now. I can feel the vibration of the music coming from the trendy night clubs I walk past. I once dreamed of going to places like that. I would have put on my best clothes and together with my multitude of friends danced and laughed the night away. Now the only primping I do is a quick check when I wake to make sure I still have my shoes.


I’ve been walking for hours now and my stomach growls; I can’t remember the last time I ate. A group of teenagers are in front of me. They turn to go into a 7-11. I walked as closely behind them as I can get without them noticing, hoping that the store clerk with assume that I am part of their group. The two middle aged women behind the counter stop talking and look upon all of us with suspicion.

“Watch them,” the oldest clerk says.

The younger clerk comes out from behind the counter and follows us. As they gather up their supplies of junk food, I too grab a package of chips, some Twinkies and a large bottle of soda. I continue to move with the group as they make their way to the counter to pay for their purchases and stand in the back.


Both clerks are back behind the counter ringing up the teens. While they are distracted I bolt out the front door. As I run through the night with my ill-gotten food I hear the door open.

“Hey stop!” I hear the clerk yell into the darkness. “I’m calling the cops.”

But it’s too late, the cops will never find me tonight and for now I have food.


I keep on walking through the city, afraid to stop too long in one place. I see the working kids on the street corners, hustling to make the twenty that will get them through one more night, either with food or a mood altering substance. In my other life I remember hearing the term “working girls” but now I know that it’s not just girls. On the street you discover quickly that whatever the fantasy or obsession it can be bought under cover of darkness. I barely notice the trading of sex for money on the street corners or the drug deals that take place in the back alleys anymore. When I first came to this existence I couldn’t believe the openness of these activities, but then when you are invisible to people they tend to forget that you can still see.


My wandering takes me into a neighborhood filled with apartments and town homes. It’s quiet here, only the occasionally car driving by or the distance sound of a dog’s bark in the air. Many of the windows glow from the light inside. I stop and peer up at the illuminated windows and remember.

I once lived in a house filled with warmth and light. I had my own bed and all the trappings associated with American teens. I thought I deserved not only what I had but everything I desired as well. Then one day the President of this country decided we needed to go to war and he sent my father away. My father never came back. My mother wasn’t a strong woman, she needed someone to take care of her and she didn’t really care who. Unfortunately for me, the who in this case didn’t want an instant family; I had to leave.


I stare up into the lit windows I wonder if my mother ever thinks about what has become of me. Does she worry? Does she remember? Does she care? But instead of answers I only hear the echo of days gone by.

In my mind it’s two years ago and I am watching from the living room window as two uniformed soldiers walk up to our front door. As I hold on my mother’s hand the tall solider says, “Mrs. Taylor, I’m sorry to have to inform you of the death of your husband.”

I can hear my mother’s screams still resonating in my mind; her wails of injustice as I hold her hand and wept silent tears.


My mind flashes forward six months to the day my mother came home and sat me down on the couch to tell me about her new love.

“I’m going to marry him Dawn,” she said.

“Congratulations Mom,” I told her not really meaning it.

She reached across the couch and took my hands. Looking into my eyes she said, “The thing is baby, he doesn’t want to be a stepfather. You’re going to need to find somewhere else to live.”

“But mom,” I cried out while my world crumpled and my heart broke even more, “Where will I go? What about school? College?”

“Ah Dawny, you’re a smart girl. You’ll get by just fine. You want your mommy to be happy don’t you?”


With a heavy heart I turn away from the homes that I like to imagine as happy. I continue to wander the streets, listening to the talk of the street people.

“Hey baby you wanna a date?” the young red head on the corner calls out to a passing car.

“Do you have any money you can spare?” a young boy asks a man leaving the adult book store.

“Man, I need a dime bag,” a well dressed teen tells the local drug dealer in the back of a dirty ally.

On the horizon I can see the sky beginning to change, the darkness is slowly lifting from the city. I look around and see the changes in traffic, the newspaper and delivery trucks already rolling along the city streets.

As the sky bursts into bright hues of pink, orange and blue I look up and see that I am standing in front of the Scared Heart Shelter. Since today is my nineteenth birthday I think I will allow myself to be talked too about God’s love in exchange for a hot meal, for I don’t know if I will see my twentieth year.


“Come my child,” the kindly looking priest says to me as he takes my arm to guide inside. “Let us nourish your body and soul.”

The Child, Maiden, Mother & Crone

She sat on the park bench, a solitary figure. Her long grey hair caught in the breeze and her shoulders were hunched inward to ward off the chill. She was mindless to all but the young girl that skipped towards her.


The six-year-old girl came to stop in front of the old woman and smiled up at her with a toothless grin. Her bright red hair was tamed into braids and her green eyes sparkled with life and curiosity.

“Who are you?” the girl asked as she studied the old woman’s wrinkled face.

“Mary,” the old woman replied lovingly, delighted by the attention of the youngster.

“My name is Mary too,” the girl exclaimed with glee before her expression turned serious and she declared, “You’re old.”

The old woman chuckled and said, “So I am, and one day you will be too.”

“Nope, I’ll never be as old as you,” Mary assured her with the faith of the young and carefree. “I’m going to be a nurse and a super-hero and movie star!”

The old woman smiled her spirit filled with awe at the girl’s easy dreams. “I truly hope, Mary that you will be all that you desire.”

The girl’s name was called in the distance and with a wave good-bye she told the old woman, “I have to go now.”

“I know, so do I. Good-bye Mary,” the old woman called as the young girl disappeared into the morning sun. But still she sat.

A short while later a figure moved toward her, a willowy teen clad ripped jeans and a leather jacket. Her hair, dyed a light shade of pink was short and spiky and her green eyes glittered with hostility as she looked upon the old woman.

“What are you looking at old woman,” the teen demanded with a glare.

The woman smiled at the girl’s bravado, knowing that it was mostly show. “I’m looking at the past and future.”

The teen arched a pierced eyebrow giving the woman reflecting belief that the old woman was insane. “Did someone forget to give you your meds today or what?”

Again, she smiled, “Something like that. Where are you rushing off to young lady?”

The teen, unsure why she was compelled to even speak the old woman, gave a look of superiority and said, “There is a peace rally on the other side of the park. I’m protesting the war.”

The woman nodded in understanding. “That’s a noble cause.”

“Someone has to do something,” the teen, mistaking the old woman’s understanding for condescension defended her beliefs, “the government is completely ruining this country. There will be nothing left for my generation if this keeps up.”

“It is important to fight for what you believe in,” the old woman advised. “Remember to always follow your heart and keep fighting for what you believe, even when it hard.”

The teen simply nodded at her before saying, “I’ve gotta go now.”

“I know, so do I,” the old woman replied as the girl with the pink hair disappeared across the park to fight the good fight. But still she sat as the sun dipped lower behind the trees.

A woman, weeping, blinding walking along the path caused the old woman to stir from her thoughts. “Child, what’s wrong?” she asked the approaching woman.

This middle-aged woman’s auburn hair was styled short, her clothes, though wrinkled were professional and stylish. Her green eyes were bright with tears as she sat down on the bench next to the old woman. She shook her head, unable to answer for the sobs that racked her body.

The old woman placed a thin arm around the woman’s shoulders, offering her the comfort that sometimes only another woman can provide. Finally the crying subsided and the woman composed herself.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall apart like that,” she told the old woman with a bleak look.

“It’s quite alright, dear. Sometimes, you have to let all the hurt out before you can begin to heal.”

She studied the old woman, her lined face was comforting and her eyes, so close to the color of her own, were kind and wise. She felt the desire to confide in this stranger on a park bench.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. My husband has left me,” she explained, pain and anger evident in tone.

The old woman reached out a soft, wrinkled hand to the woman. “I know that now, when the betrayal is fresh, it is hard to see that this may be a good thing.”

“How can this be a good thing?” she cried. “I have two children at home; I am stuck in a job I hate. A job that I took so that my louse of a husband could get his business up and running. Now I am left with two kids to raise, a mortgage, and hole inside of me that I don’t think will ever be filled again. And I’m so very, very tired.”

“Have faith my dear, you will survive. You will become stronger and find your way. You will love again. These things I swear to you.”

The younger woman searched the old woman’s face and saw the truth of her words. Her spirit was soothed, and although still hurt and scared, she wasn’t desperate. “Thank you for your faith. I have to go now.”

“As do I,” the old woman said. But still she sat as night fell.

In the darkness she heard voices and she leaned forward expectantly as young Mary, with the braids and the zeal for life, teen Mary, with the pink hair and burning desire to save the world, and middle-aged Mary, with the broken heart but not broken

spirit, appeared in a circle of light, each with an outstretched hand beckoning her to join them.

“We’ve got to go now Mary,” the called in unison. The old woman stood and stepped into the light. The child, the maiden, the mother and crone all merged together as the light carried them to their next destination.

Counseling Alcohol Abuse Within Native American Communities

Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce Nation once said, “I am tired of fighting….from where the sun now stands, I will fight no more.” This quote effectively demonstrates the sense of desperation and shame that can be seen throughout many Native American Nations today. Many within the psychological community believe that these feelings have attributed to the epidemic of alcoholism and substance abuse that run rampant in many Native Nations. But what can be done to help combat this growing disease? Is there a one-size fits all treatment approach, or do Native American clients need a more tailored treatment program that address their cultural history and value system?


According to Tim Noe, Deputy Director of The Healthy Nations Initiative (T. Noe, personal communication, September 1, 2006), “Native Americans have disproportionate rates of substance abuse than other groups within the United States.” There are many theories as to the underlying reasons for this epidemic that runs through several of the Native American nations. It was once believed that Native Americans were biologically predisposed to alcoholism but that theory has not been proven. (Straussner, 2001, p. 83) The problem is more likely attributed to a combination of cultural, psychological and social issues.

Due to significant differences in the prevalence of alcohol use between Native nations it is essential that mental health professionals

take into account the social and cultural diversity of each nation (P. Spicer, personal communication, September 15, 2006). By classifying all

Native Nations into one vast group, the stereotype of the drunken Indian will continue to prevail.

When the newly formed United States government decided that it wanted to expand, military force was utilized to forcibly remove the Natives from their lands. While military strength was a large aspect of the colonization of the States other means of genocide were also incorporated into government policy towards Indians. The most heinous of these tactics included non-consensual sterilization, forcing Native children from their homes and into white schools and making cultural traditions illegal.

None of our esteemed founding fathers were innocent of the assault on the Native American population. Thomas Jefferson once wrote to Indian fighter George Rogers Clark, “The same world would scarcely do for them and us.” (Jones, 2004, p. 150) His words furthered the popular belief that Native Americans were savages and therefore easing any feelings of guilt for committing horrendous acts against another human.

In their book Alcohol Problem in Native America (2006), authors Don Coyhis and William White conclude that “suppression, oppression and colonization of Native people by a radically different cultural group, and that group’s deliberate use of alcohol as a weapon is an underlying

cause of indigenous alcohol problems in North America.” In fact prior to contact with Europeans, Native Americans had no contact with alcohol at all.

One Native person, when asked about alcoholism in his community was quoted as saying, “They first tried to get rid of us through disease like smallpox, diphtheria and all that and they couldn’t’ so they introduced us to alcohol.” (Straussner, 2001, p. 79) Many Native people feel that alcoholism is a white man’s disease that was forced onto the Native populace. (R. Currier, personal communication, 10/2/06)

Alcohol proved to be an effective tool in controlling the Native American population and procuring both land and trade deals that were highly beneficial to the white man. As the Native Americans lost their land, their culture and their identities, alcohol became a way to assuage their heartache and shame. Psychologists attribute this abuse of alcohol as form of self-medication to what is known as of post-colonial stress disorder (PCSD). PCSD is defined as the long-term trauma stemming from the repression of the Native American culture. (Rabasca, 2000) A fact that was further driven home by Vine Deloria in his book God is Red (1994) when he said, “Tribes can no longer form and reform on sociological, religious or cultural bases. People are not allowed to be Indians and cannot become whites. Alcoholism and suicide mark this tragic fact.” (p. 220-221)

Although the days of Indian hunting have long past and the boundaries of the United States are firmly marked, the injustices to the Native American people are still being committed. The public’s perception of the “drunken Indian” has been sustained for hundreds of years. Beginning as early as Ben Franklins’ time when he made the quote, “Rum plus Savage = 0” (Brodie, 2002, p. 109) and continue on still as shown by with Hornell Brewing Company’s naming their product Crazy Horse Malt Liquor.

That stereotype is especially hard on Native American youth. There are no stories in the media about the non-drinking Indians. There are no highly visible Native American role models for the Native youth of today. (R. Currier, personal communication, October 2, 2006)

As a clinician it is irresponsible to presume that there is widespread drinking amongst all the Native nations. Studies show that throughout the U.S., 52% of Native Americans abstain from alcohol completely and 23% only drink in moderation. (Straussner, 2001, p. 81) Dr. Robert Currier, a therapist that has been working with the Zuni Nation in New Mexico for twenty-three years, says that in his estimation, “Of those within the tribe that drink only about ¼ abuse and of those ¼ are addicted.”

But regardless of the facts, self-hatred runs deep within many of Native American decent, a result of generations of being stereotyped as

dirty, drunken savages. Native poet, Nia Francisco demonstrated this shame poignantly in her poem Ode to a Drunk Woman in which she writes, “We are sober but drunk with pain caused by the same damn shame you learned as children.”

The psychological theory behind the elevated cases of alcoholism within many of the Native communities’ supports the theory that this shame can trigger depression and that can be a high risk factor in alcohol abuse, (Straussner, 2001, p. 85) but socioeconomic factors also play a large part in the problems of alcohol abuse. According to a study done by Indian Health Services poverty is a considerable factor in alcohol abuse. The poverty rate for Native Americans is 24.5% compared to 7.8% for non-Hispanic whites. Additionally the median household income for Native Americans is $32,116 per year as opposed to $46,305 for non-Hispanic whites. (using APA, 2006)

Regardless of the underlying factors it is obvious that there is a serious problem within the Native American community as a whole. A study by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation conducted in 1988 showed that in the 33 reservation states alcoholism was 438% higher than the rates for the total U.S. population. (RWJF.org, 2006)

Studies have also shown that Native Americans die of alcoholism related conditions at rates six times higher than other Americans.

Furthermore, drug and alcohol use among Native teens is 10-15% higher than among their European-American counterparts. (Rabasca, 2006)

Finally, lifetime rates of DSM-III-R alcohol dependence for Native American men sampled were fifty percent higher than those sampled nationally. (Spicer et al., 2003, p. 1785)

But despite all these statistics we are still severely limited in our facts of alcohol abuse amongst the Native American populace. Clinicians who are treating a patient within a Native American community must keep in mind the confines of available knowledge when reviewing any information about Native alcohol abuse.

While treatments like AA have been proven to work well within the general American communities, many Native Americans have been resistant to this program due to its Christian overtones. (P. Spicer, personal communication, September 15, 2006) However over the last decade great strides have been made in treatment programs for Native American communities. Organizations like One Sky Center and The Healthy Nations Initiative have stepped up to work towards creating treatment programs that combine both Traditional Native treatments with Western mental health practices.

When asked about the substance abuse program implemented within the Zuni Nation, Dr. Currier noted that integration of both Traditional values and Western mental health practices have been highly

beneficial. He noted that the most important facets of the treatment program are diversity and trust. His staff includes Zuni and white counselors, male and female, along Zuni elders and mentors. He stated, “The more you have to offer the better the program.” Dr. Currier and the elders of the nation also work with the youth of the area, teaching traditional Zuni values, visiting sacred Zuni sites, and help to develop a sense of community and identity. By doing this, it has helped in the prevention of youths’ who begin to abuse alcohol or drugs.

Dr. Michael Garrett and Dr. Jane Carroll offered the following recommendations to help in the treatment of Native clients in an article written for the Journal of Counseling and Development. (Atkinson, 2004) These suggestions utilize support systems that are already in place within Native American communities:

• Sociodemographics- Native clients participate in community-wide volunteer programs. Helping those in need within their communities has proven to be a successful part of healing.

• Physiology- Clients are encouraged to maintain a healthy life style and take care of any health issues that arise.

• Historical Context- This approach helps clients explore their cultural identity and development.

• Acculturation/identity- Clients are assisted with exploration of personal cultural identity and career issues through a focus on cultural themes. Some questions that can be asked are (a) Where do you belong? (b) What are you good at, what do you enjoy doing? (c) What are your strengths? Weaknesses? (d) What do you have to offer?

• Isolation/social connections- Participation in social events such as powwows allow clients to experience social cohesion and social interaction within their community.

• Generational splits- Learning from elders as role models

• Coping mechanisms- Clients learn other methods of dealing with stress, powerlessness, shame and identity confusion. Consultation with a Medicine person is recommended.

• Noninterference- The avoidance behavior that community members engage in as to maintain the cultural value of not imposing their will on another may be destructive to an individual client and must be addressed with the client as well as with community members. (p. 161-162)

Take for example the case of Sue, a 23 year-old Cree woman. She was raised in a home filled with violence and alcohol abuse and she was often placed in foster care. Sue was sexually abused and once expelled

from school when she demonstrated what was deemed uncontrollable behavior. Her father died from exposure when he became so intoxicated he was unable to come in from the cold. She also lost her grandfather, sister, two uncles and three cousins to alcohol related deaths. Sue began using inhalants at age nine and by age eleven she was abusing alcohol. She has three children now, one of which was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. She has been in five treatment programs over eight years and has yet to be able to stay sober for more than six weeks. Most of the programs she participated in were court ordered and 12-step based. (Straussner, 2001, p.86)

Sue’s case shows common patterns and issues that face the Native community. Generally, substance abuse amongst Native adults began while they were children. (R. Currer, personal communication, October 3, 2006) In addition some of the underlying factors for Sue’s substance abuse could stem from physical and sexual abuse endured as a child, the isolation from family and community while in foster care, and the trauma associated with being placed in foster care.

Sue’s therapist would need to ensure that a comprehensive family history be taken in order to understand her. Her family and personal history are both vital pieces to her treatment. In addition, trying to understand the reasons why past treatment experiences failed and what if any successes she had need to be explored. By understanding both

Sue’s strengths and weakness, her therapist will have a better idea on how to best treat her.

While the assumption by some therapists may be that because Sue is of Native American decent that the logical treatment to follow would be one that is grounded in Traditional healing, but a clinician has to keep in mind that there is no one treatment that works for all people. It is important in this case to look at how connected Sue is in her culture. If she is very connected then reconnecting her with her culture and using a form of treatment that utilizes Traditional healing as well as Western theories may prove beneficial, however if she is not involved with the Cree culture use of the program could prove ineffective. By following some of the recommendations noted previously a therapist may be able to work a balanced and beneficial treatment program.

In the past few years there has been much written on the epidemic of alcohol and substance abuse within the Native American communities, yet there is still much we don’t know. For years there was no input from Native Indians as to the problem of substance abuse and what to do about it, instead Western interventions were forced upon them. (Rabasca, 2000) This lack of communication has led to a lack to trust. Many Native people are reluctant to discuss personal and community matters to outsiders, causing a deficiency of accurate information and

understanding of the problem. (R. Currier, personal communication, October 3, 2006)

But now the psychological community has acknowledged that it is essential for the Native community to have a say if there are to be successful programs for the treatment of substance abuse and also for the prevention of it. By working together with tribal leaders and understanding the Native community’s belief system in which a therapist is working, a Native client will be more comfortable and trusting in seeking help for their needs.

But there is still much to be done. More trained mental health professionals are needed as well as more money allocated from the federal government to go towards mental health and substance abuse programs. Underlying factors that can lead to alcohol abuse also need to addressed on a political level; issues like poverty, unemployment, and adequate housing in order to fully get a handle on the problem.

A therapist that plans to work within a Native American community must first take the time to establish a relationship within the Nation, learn their value and belief systems. This will help to build trust between yourself and your clients. Once that trust has been established and client feels safe with you, the most important thing to keep in mind is that no one treatment program works for every one person.

It is essential that you “start where the client is” (Straussner, 2001, p 89) and move forward from there. Work hard to understand your client, their history, the driving forces in their lives; once you understand how they came to the point they have reached, it will be easier for you to guide them to the place they would like to go.



REFERENCES


Atkinson, Donald, R. (2004). Counseling American Minorities Sixth Edition. Santa


Barbara. McGraw Hill.


Briefing Sheet on Indian Health Services Mental Health/Alcohol and Substance


Programs. Retrieved September 6, 2006 from http://www.apa.org/ppo/funding/ihsbriefingsheet.html.


Brodie, Janet, Farrell and Redfield, Marc. (2002). High Anxieties Cultural Studies in


Addition. Los Angeles. University of California Press.


Coyhis, Don, L. and White, William, L., (2006), Alcohol Problems in Native America,


The Untold Story of Resistance and Recovery. Colorado Springs. White Bison Inc.


Deloria, Vine. (1994). God Is Red, A Native View of Religion. Golden. North


American Press.


Francisco, Nia. (1988). Ode to a Drunk Woman. Blue Horses for Navajo Women. New


York. Greenfield Review Press


Healthy Nations: Reducing Substance Abuse Among Native Americans. Retrieved August


30, 2006 from http://www.rwif.org/reports/npreports/HealthyNations.htm


Jones, Landon, Y. (2004) William Clark and the Shaping of the West, New York. Hill &


Wang.


Rabasca, Lisa. (2000). Listening Instead of Preaching. Monitor on Psychology. 31.3.


Retrieved September 9, 2006, from http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar00/listening. html.


Spicer, Paul, Beals, Jennifer, Croy, Calvin D., Mitchell, Christina M., Novins, Douglas


K., Moore, Laurie, et al. (2003). The Prevalence of DSM-III-R Alcohol Dependence in Two American Indian Populations. Alcohol Clinical and Experimental Research. Vol 27, No 11. 1785-1797


Straussner, Shulamith Lala Ashenberg. (2001). Ethnocultural Factors in Substance


Abuse Treatment. New York. The Guilford Press.






.

The Psychology of a Cult

Jim Jones, Charlie Manson, David Koresh and Marshall Applewhite all were able to convince their followers to kill others and/or themselves. How were these men able to control full grown adults who had fully functioning minds? It wasn’t as hard as you might think.


First look at the definition of a cult: a cult is a structured group in which most of its members have unquestioned loyalty to their leader. By this definition the military has cult like characteristics, so does the Catholic Church. Even organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) demonstrate some cult like characteristics. So why, when we think of a cult don’t we think of these organizations? A solider will follow his/her superior’s orders without a second thought and a good Catholic follows whatever the Pope decides.

The key difference is the psychology of the organization. A non-cult organization may have cult like characteristics; however its main focus is outward, the well being of its members and even non-members; a cult’s main focus is itself. In addition, cults use deception to entice members to join and coercive influences to keep them in line.

Government officials estimate that there are currently over 3,000 destructive cults in the US today with approximately four million members. These cults can be broken down into four basic categories:

• Religious organizations like The People’s Temple

• Psychological organizations offering enlightenment such as Heavens Gate or Scientology.

• Commercial pyramid and multi-level marketing groups like Amway or Mary Kay (These are typically the least destructive)

• Political organizations that are organized around dogma like Al Qaeda



Why so many? According to psychologist and cult expert, Margaret Thaler Singer, cults thrive in times of political and social unrest. Times like now and in the 1960’s.

Many people don’t understand how cult members can carry out such extreme acts of violence or socially abnormal behavior. They wonder if the members are psychological ill. The answer to that question would be yes and no.

Cult leaders seek out members who are not psychologically ill, but people who are in crisis. Recruiters single out people who have key situational elements. Examples of these elements would be a young adult experiencing extreme loneliness, a man suffering from adjustment disorder stemming from his divorce, or new college graduates who are at a crossroads in his/her life and unsure what direction to turn. Recruiters are trained to listen and appear sympathetic and to offer assurances that their group can help ease the individual’s plight.

Once inducted recruits may suffer psychological disorders such as dissociative identity disorder, adjustment disorder and major depression. These disorders, coupled with influential tactics that are used by cult leaders, can make members pliable to leaders’ demands.

Studies show that cult leaders use about thirty influence tactics. Some of these tactics are used to attract members and another set is used to keep members under control. Influence tactics used to keep members under control are designed to target their psychological defenses. Some of these tactics are used by the military.

One of these tactics is called “The Hot Seat Technique.” An example of this technique would be a member called out by the leader in front of the entire group. This member is forced to confess their transgressions in public. The leader then berates the member for their transgressions and once they have been humiliated the leader then offers a loving commendation for the member’s honesty and gives the member encouragement that they can keep believing in the leader’s message.

The purpose of this technique is to lower self esteem. By keeping self esteem low, it has been proven that people are more persuadable than when they have high to moderate self-esteem.

So, by keeping members minds pliable and working off the psychological studies which show that in times of crisis people will react uniformly rather than individually the leaders will be able to, with some certainty, ensure that the members will follow orders without question. It’s the same principle that the military uses to ensure that a solider will follow orders without question.

And how do you know if someone may be under a cult’s influence? There are nine tell tale symptoms to be watchful for:

• Personality Change

• Dramatic shift in beliefs

• Diet changes

• Refusal to attend family functions such as weddings, graduations, ECT.

• Inability to make decisions without input of the groups leader

• Sudden and excessive use of ideology

• Simplistic reasoning

• Using complex vocabulary

• Attempted recruitment of you



If someone you know is exhibiting these symptoms help is available. There are community resources available to help the psychological recovery of former cult members. You may also want to contact your local division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for further information on suspected cult activity.



And remember that the next time you rush to judgment about the actions of a cult’s members, keep in mind that everyone can be susceptible given the right set of circumstances.


References:
• www.workingpsychology.com/cult.html, Rhodes, Kelton Phd.
• Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology, www.gale.com

Fictional Story based on the Jonestown Massacre

Ruby's Story

“Ruby Ann Brown you come back here this instant!”

I hear my mother’s voice calling after me, but I ignore her as I run into the jungle. I used to be afraid to go into the jungle alone, worried about giant snakes or wild cats attacking me. But they couldn’t be any worse than the abuse that Father doles out. Sometimes I lie awake at night and pray that a big wild cat will just come into the settlement and drag my body deep into the jungle where no one will ever find me.

Sweat drips down my back, making my pink cotton tee-shirt even wetter. The past couple days have been so stressful. Father and his trusted commanders have been so angry since word came down that the man was coming from America to try to destroy all that we had created. I know that it is a sin, but deep down I hope that he does take us all home.

I push my limp hair out of my eyes as I continue to run past the lush greenery of the jungle. I can hear the birds calling in the morning air, warning me to keep going as fast as I can. I may only be twelve years old but I have learned to listen to that little voice in my head. My daddy used to call it Jiminy Cricket, like the bug from Pinocchio. And Jiminy has been screaming in my head all morning that something bad is going to happen. That’s why I’m running away. I begged mom to leave with the man from the States but she refused. She was so angry that I wanted to go with him. She told me that those back home didn’t understand what Father was trying to create, what we stood for.

The tears in my eyes blur my vision and I trip over a root that is sticking up from the ground. On my hands and knees I take huge gulps of heavy air and try to catch my breath, all the while listening for the sounds of feet running after me. Only the sounds of the jungle greet me.

To my right is a tree with low hanging leaves. I can hide there providing there’s not already some wild animal lurking behind the leaves, just waiting to pounce. Moving slowly I creep over to the leaves and carefully push them aside, peering into the darkness for luminous eyes. It appears that I am alone so I crawl inside and lean back against the tree. Once I know that I am safe and alone, I let myself cry in silence. I learned early on upon coming the People’s Temple, never to let Father hear you cry. The punishment was brutal.

As the tears stream down my dirty face I think about my Dad. I miss him. He and my mother came to the People’s Temple together when I just eight years old. They were searching for something better my mother tells me. I remember the first time I met Father. I hated him. With those glasses on his nose and his dark clothes he looked like the devil himself. I told Mama and Dad that this was a bad place, but they didn’t listen. Dad found out though, a couple years later. He discovered that Father thought I was old enough at ten to engage in sex. Daddy tried to protect me, but Father’s power was too strong. Daddy just disappeared one night. Father said Daddy was weak minded and that Mom and I are better off without him. I don’t believe that. I like to think that Daddy is looking for a way to get me back to the States. But my heart knows that Daddy is gone to heaven. I know that Father killed him.

There are no more tears and my eyes are heavy. I send a silent prayer up to the heavens that someway, somehow I can go home. I miss home, my dad and my grandparents. As my eyes slowly close I think about my grandparent’s farm in Merced. I dream of my childhood when I used to chase chickens and pet the baby cows.

I awake with a start. The sounds of screaming and gunfire pierce the air. There are no jungle sounds now, just the horrible sounds of anguish. The bad thing I sensed was happening, now. I pull my knees up to chin and try to make myself very small as I hide in the leaves of the great jungle tree and I rock back and forth as my mind pretends that it is my mother rocking me, like she used to when I was little.

I don’t know how much time has passed, the jungle is quiet now. The screaming has long since subsided. My legs are stiff from sitting in this position for too long. Slowly I crawl out from my hiding place and with dread in my heart I make my way back to Jonestown.

I don’t understand what I am seeing. The pathway heading towards the jungle is littered with bodies; they are bleeding from their backs. My mind reasons that they have been shot. I continue along to the main worship building, am I now so cold and my legs and arms feel as if they are made of lead.

I see it now, the horrible thing that sent me fleeing into the jungle. There in the center of the settlement is my family. Hundreds of people are just lying down in the rust colored dirt amongst the litter of paper Dixie cups. No one is moving. I look around at the horror. There are couples with their arms wrapped around each other and parents whose children are clinging to them, even in death.

My eyes are dry and my mouth is parched as I ever so slowly approach the throne; the chair where Father would sit and watch over his children. He’s there now, with those damnable glasses on his face, but now he is not moving. I see the trail of blood that is trickling down from the hole in is temple and as I collapse onto the ground next to Father I see his gun on the ground next him.

My whole body shakes and tears finally come as blackness threatens to engulf me. I want the darkness, I need the peace of oblivion but as I slip off into unconsciousness I realize that finally my nightmare is ended. Now, now I can go home.

Is There LIfe Out There?

From Star Trek to Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and ET, Americans have had a long standing love affair with outer space. But is life from another galaxy only the stuff of science fiction or is it possible that there could be intelligent life beyond the stars of the Milky Way? People who openly state that they believe in extraterrestrial life forms are often ridiculed and thought of as paranoid nut cases. But why is it so hard to believe that there is a chance that somewhere out there another plant could sustain life? Is it because we are so vain as to believe that if humanity does not have the technology to travel millions of miles at light speed then it simply is not possible? Or could it be the fear that if extraterrestrial life is proven, the foundations of many religions could be shaken? Or is it the government wanting to protect its citizens from the scary things that go bump in the night?


During World World II airmen on both sides of the war reported numerous sightings of unidentified objects in the skies. These objects were dubbed as “Foo Fighters.” These Foo Fighters were described as balls of fire or light that appeared while airmen carried out their air raids. The objects were reported as traveling at speeds of two hundred and fifty miles per hour and some reported damage to their ignition systems after encounters. The sightings of Foo Fighters ended in 1945 when the war ended. (Pope 22).

But the real start of the UFO craze began on June 24, 1947 when pilot, Kenneth Arnold, was looking for wreckage of a military transport in the Cascade Mountains and found something far more interesting. He reported that he saw nine separate objects flying in formation. When asked by the press what they were like he described the objects as crescent shaped and that, “They flew like a saucer would if you skipped it across the water.” The reporter misquoted Arnold by describing the object as a “Flying Saucer”, hence the now common image of a round metal object that is associated with UFO’s. (Suterly 30).

On July 2, 1947, just a few weeks after Arnold’s discovery, the now infamous Roswell encounter happened. The well told story of an alien spacecraft crashing into the New Mexico desert gave birth to government cover-up conspiracy theories and stories of a secret military installation known as Area 51.

The Untied States (US) government has, of course, denied that any of these things are a reality. But can we be so sure that we are being told the truth? If there was no truth in the stories coming out of Roswell than why was Project Blue Book started?

Project Blue Book was a program developed by the US Air Force that investigated reports of UFO sightings from 1947 until December 17, 1969. The program investigated 12,618 sightings and of those sightings, 701 remain unidentified. (ufoevidence.org)

Bob Lazar is a former government employee who claims that he worked on a project that involved aircrafts of extraterrestrial origin at Area 51. He claims that the extraterrestrial technology was crucial to the development of the stealth fighter. Although generally thought of as a crackpot by the public, new evidence seems to support Lazar’s claims.

In 1997, Bob Oechsler, a robotics expert and NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) mission’s specialist released a phone call between himself and Admiral Boby Ray Inman, the former director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and former Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that he had recorded, unbeknownst to Inman. A portion of the phone call follows:

Oechsler: Do you anticipate that any of the recovered vehicles would ever become available for technological research? Outside of military circles?

Inman: I honestly don’t know. Ten years ago the answer would have been no. Whether as time has evolved they are beginning to become more open on it, there’s a possibility.

At the time that the phone call was released Inman was a possible choice for the US Secretary of Defense. When the media released the contents of the call, Inman turned down the job under mysterious circumstances. (Qtd. Suterly 45).

Even Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld has ties to UFO investigations. On July 29, 1968 he served on the House Committee on Science and Astronautics. On this day the committee invited six prominent scientists before a special UFO hearing. Although I do not know the findings of that hearing it would be interesting to know if these scientists provided evidence that the aliens too had weapons of mass destruction.

In the Untied Kingdom (UK) the Ministry of Defense (MOD) has an entire department dedicated to the investigation of all UFO sightings. The department is charged with determining the creditability and threat levels of those sighting. The UK has taken a proactive approach to the UFO phenomenon, going so far as to encourage people to step forward and report things that they see in the skies. What is the purpose one may ask? According to Nick Pope, former director of the UFO division of the MOD, it is to ensure that UFO’s are not a threat to the UK. He says, “If underestimating your enemy is a sin in the military world, then failing to even acknowledge their existence is a cardinal one.”

The MOD has investigated 8890 sightings worldwide since 1959. But according to Pope, 95% of all sightings are not reported due to fear of ridicule or confusion as to who to report it to. If this estimate is true that would mean that instead of the 8890 sightings reported a truer number would be closer to 13 million sightings worldwide. While it is true that the majority of these sightings can and do have a reasonable explanation, a good portion of them do not. Even if there is just one or two that defy explanation, shouldn’t that be reason enough to look beyond ourselves and keep an open mind as to what might be? (Pope).

Take for example the strange happenings in Topanga Canyon, California. This is a small community of about 8000 people that lies within the Santa Monica Mountains just west of LA. Between the years of 1942-1994 there have been eighty-two UFO sightings. There were two in the 40’s, two in the 50’s, two in the 60’s, fifteen in the 70’s, fourteen in the 80’s and forty-seven in the 90’s. Is the increase due to the fact that there indeed more UFO’s out there? While it could be possible it is unlikely. The increase is more likely due to the increased public awareness of UFO’s that occurred between the 70’s and 90’s. (Preston Appendix A).

During the winters of 1989 and 1990 there were sightings of triangular flying objects over Belgium. These objects were observed by both private and military people as well as documented on military radar. At one point the Belgium Air Force scrambled their F16 fighters, but the object easily evaded and broke radar lock by accelerating to speeds that the fighters were unable to match.

Between March 30 and March 31, 1990 sightings were reported all over Belgium and North Germany. The number of sightings is estimated to be at about 2600. Each sighting described a triangular object moving at fast speeds. F-16’s were scrambled but were unable to catch up to the object. The Belgian government’s official statement is “We do not know what it was, but we would dearly love to know.”

On March 31, 1993, exactly three years after the wave of sightings in Belgium, another wave accorded, this time over the UK. Again thousands of reports from both civilians and military personnel flooded into the MOD. (Pope 261-262)

On July 11, 1991 the streets of Mexico City were flooded with thousands people anticipating the solar eclipse. Cameras, shadow boxes and video cameras were at the ready for the event. But the spectators got more than they had bargained for when they looked up into the sky and discovered a silver, metallic object hovering in the skies over the city. In addition to the thousands who saw the object, no less than seventeen videos were shot from different locations throughout the city. Scientific examination of these videos has shown no signs of fraud.

For the next three years sightings of UFO’s remained constant throughout Mexico, although the objects remained at a further distance. That is until August 1994. That is when a commercial flight from Acapulco to Mexico City was beginning its approach at 12,000 feet and a UFO crossed their path. (Trainor).

The pilot, Captain Fernando Mezquita details his experience,” We were coming out of a cloud and had visual contact with traffic (the UFO) that had the color of aluminum. It was oval and very fast coming straight for us. It banked and it went under us, very very close to the aircraft. I thought we were going to crash so I called the tower. The control tower informed me that there were no other flights in the area and they had no radar echoes of any object near us.”

In the week following Captain Mezquita’s close call not a day passed without a UFO being reported by other pilots or crew members of major airlines, the object was seen appearing above, below, to the side and directly in front of passenger airlines. (Suterly 246).

On January 6, 1995 a British Airways Boeing 737 that was carrying sixty passengers nearly hit a “wedge shaped” object while descending to Manchester Airport. The pilot reported that it was so close to the plane the co-pilot actually ducked. The object was also observed by eyewitnesses on the ground.

What about the Untied States? Why do all the sightings seem to be more concentrated in Mexico and the UK? The answer to that would be, they’re not. Part of the reason the numbers are higher in Mexico and Europe can be attributed to the people’s attitudes on the subject. The attitude of most US citizens towards UFO’s is still that of mockery and closed mindedness. But the fact is there have been many sightings all over the US, including two in July of 1952 close to the White House that were detected not only by the Washington National Airport but also by Andrews AFB. (Suterly 264).

While Americans like to think that only crazy people see UFO’s the truth of the matter is sightings have been reported in the US by military officers, school teachers, numerous police officers, doctor’s and pilots. Witnesses are both male and female, adult and child, they vary in education, race and religious backgrounds. The majority of witnesses did not believe in the existence of UFO’s prior to their seeing them with their own eyes.

From the beginning, mankind has been fascinated by the skies and the wonders of the stars. Writers and movie makers have depicted visitors from outer space from sweet cuddly beings to war mongering monsters. HG Wells wrote War of the Worlds in 1898 in which he depicted alien life forms as being a threat to our world. Throughout his career his books described outrageous, far fetched thing like, chemical warfare, genetic engineering, the depletion of world resources and aerial combat, and of course, UFO’s. Perhaps, his ideas were not so far fetched after all?

Before 1903, if you had said you were going to fly in the air from place to place people would have thought you were insane. Now, air travel is commonplace. In the 30’ s and 40’s there were no rockets in outer space and if you had said that there could be, people would have thought that was nonsense; yet in 1950 the first rocket was launched into outer space

What if I told you in the early 1950’s that a man would walk on the moon? I’d have been condemned as a loon, and yet in 1961 the first human went into outer space and in 1969 the first man walked on the moon. As a race of humans, we are making more and more technological advances every day. The world of USS Enterprise doesn’t seem as far fetched today as it did even fifty years ago. Yet when confronted with the possibility that there could be life outside of the Milky Way that is more technologically advanced than humanity, it is concerned lunacy. Given the facts and the preponderance of mounting evidence to the contrary, we as a race need to accept that there is a possibility of life out there.



SOURCES
Pope, Nick Open Skies Closed Minds, New York: The Overlook Press, 1998.
Preston, Dennett UFO’s Over Topanga Canyon, St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1999
Project Blue Book, March 22, 2006, (http://www.ufoevidence.org/topics/ProjectBlueBook.htm).
Suterly, Curt, A Reporter Seeks the Truth, UFO Mysteries, St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 2001.
Trainor, Joseph, Sightings, Volume 7, No 50, Original Air date December 10, 2002.

In the blink of an eye

It’s funny how your life can change in a blink of an eye. At twenty-five I had my life completely mapped out, I was going to be a corporate executive for Anheuser-Busch, have great loft apartment that overlooked the city of St. Louis and live the American dream of a swinging single with disposable income.



I was well on my way to reaching my goals, already working as a sales representative for the company and having a glowing recommendation from a high level executive at the corporate office in hand.


I had a nice apartment in the best part of town, fully loaded with all sorts of amenities. My days were spent wining and dining clients and my nights spent at nightclubs dancing the night away. My weekends were devoted to sleeping late, lunching with friends and lounging about doing whatever my heart desired. I had no one to answer to other than myself and my finicky cat. Yes, life was good.


One morning shortly after my twenty-fifth birthday I awoke with terrible pain on my right side. I acknowledged to myself that something was wrong. In addition to the pain I had been unreasonably tired and tense for the past few weeks. None of my usual activities held any interest to me. Unsure what exactly was wrong I did what every twenty- something career track woman would do, I ignored the symptoms. But these symptoms did not stay ignorable for long. Instead, as one day bled into the next they continued to get worse and worse until my boss sent me home and demanded that I see a doctor.


Having no choice but to break down and go, I made my way to the closest Urgent Care and explained to the receptionist that I had an agonizing pain in my side next to my hip. Afraid that I could have appendicitis the woman behind the desk immediately fetched a nurse who then escorted to an examination room. I was not particularly concerned, after all I was young and had my whole life ahead of me, nothing bad could be wrong.


It seemed like mere moments before a doctor came in and pushed on my side, eliciting an annoyed curse from me. He fired questions at me in rapid succession while taking my vitals before handing me a plastic cup to go urinate in. I complied with the doctor’s orders and left my little cup of pee on the ledge in the bathroom as instructed. I then made my way back into the little exam room to wait for the doctor to come give me a magic pill that would make the pain go away.


Minutes ticked by and the doctor didn’t come back. Annoyed, I got up and paced, ignoring the burning pain that shot through my side. Finally a quick knock on the door before it opened. I quickly climbed up on to the table and found my heart give a fearful jolt at the look on the doctor’s face.


“What could it be? Cancer? Was I going to die?” I asked myself silently.


“Well Ms. Kuhnert,” he began, “You do not have appendicitis. The pain is caused by a bladder infection; however, are you aware that you are pregnant?”


Pregnant? Did he just tell me I was pregnant? That couldn’t be. I didn’t want children. Ever. Not to mention the complication that would come from a child and a child’s father. This had to be some sort of monumental error.


The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur and before I knew it I was crying in a bathroom stall while waiting to get an ultrasound. Evidently the doctor was unable to determine just how pregnant I was because I had such erratic cycles and I honestly didn’t know when my last one was. Options flew through my head; I could terminate the pregnancy and not tell anyone. Then I would still be able to take the promotion and my life would go back to what it was. I wouldn’t even have to tell dear ol’ dad, whom I knew would not be thrilled by this new development.


My mind continued to work a million miles a minute even as the technician squirted some cold slimy stuff onto my still flat belly and ran a strange looking thing back and forth through the goop. I tried not to look at the monitor over his shoulder; I tried to pretend this was not happening to me and my well planned life.


“Oh my,” he said and I couldn’t stop my eyes from first looking at him and then to the monitor.


I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had always heard that ultrasound pictures look like fuzzy, grey squiggly lines, not this one. There on monitor was a perfectly formed shape of a baby. I could clearly see the head, the legs, the feet, and the hand with perfect little fingers.


My heart gave a leap and stopped when the child growing inside me raised one, perfect, little middle finger up into the air. My child had just given me the finger! Now anyone who knows me knows that flipping the bird is my trademark and nearly all of our family snapshots show me doing just that. The quick thinking tech was able to capture that exact moment on film; the exact moment that I fell head over heels in love.


It turned out that I was four months pregnant and even if I had wanted to I would not have been able to have an abortion that far into the pregnancy. But with that first look at my child I knew that my life was forever changed. I had to grow up and fast.


I told “dad” and he told me goodbye. He walked away and never looked back.


I quit my job; selling beer wasn’t a good job for a mommy to have. I had to give up my fancy apartment for a cheaper two bedroom, one closer to my mom.


The next five months flew by in a frenzy of self-doubt and planning. Some of my friends stood by my side and helped me to figure out what I had to do to get ready. They helped me find affordable furniture, threw me a great baby shower and sat with me through my crying jags. My mother became my best friend. She went with me to see the doctor and she pulled no punches about what to expect. And she held my hand as one Friday morning I brought my beautiful daughter into the world.


My life has changed a lot in ten years since I knew exactly what I wanted from life. I am now married to an amazing man who took one look at my daughter and fell as hopelessly in love with her as me. We also have a son, three years her junior.


I don’t have a loft apartment over looking a skyline. Instead I have a house with a back yard to accommodate the kids and the two dogs. I have no disposable income and my days are spent carpooling and cheering at soccer games. My nights are spent helping with homework and going to PTO meetings. I no longer go to nightclubs, as I am usually asleep before the ten o’clock news ends and lunching with friends is usually done at the McDonald’s Playland over happy meals. Instead of sleeping in late and lounging about on the weekends, I now get up early and spend the days cooking, cleaning and chasing after the children.


I sometimes think about what I had seen as my perfect life, the glitz and glamour. Then I look at myself in my flannel pajamas, a child resting its head on each of my shoulders as we watch Sponge Bob together before making pancakes for Daddy and I realize that I would have missed out on the best part of life had the I taken the other path.


Yes, life is very, very good indeed.

Sad state of affairs: the elderly in poverty

When I was growing up in the 70's I always thought you get out school, get a good job, stay with the company until you've reached retirement age and then lived happily ever after. To say I was naive would be an understatement.

America's culture doesn't lend to taking care of elderly as a whole. This is evidenced in the fact that poverty rates for the elderly in America could be two times higher than the traditional poverty level of 10% in this country. A ballpark translation of that percentage is 6.8 million elderly people in this country.


Now, I have heard the arguments about healthcare reform raging in this country. I have heard arguments on both sides; some that make sense and others that are completely ridiculous, rooted in the socialist boogieman stories we all heard during the days of the cold war. Therefore I want to be perfectly clear here when I say that I am not talking about health care benefits for illegal immigrants and people who "just want to abuse the system and have someone else take care of them."

This isn't about people "having to pay for their benefits and everybody else’s"


This is about people, real people who have spent their entire lives working and contributing to the success of this country and who now have to decide between paying their electric bill and buying needed medication for such aliments as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, and other such bothersome illnesses.


Between the years of 1988 and 1994 the number of retirees who were able to keep their healthcare benefits from their employers as part of their pension fell from 44% to 34%. Today nearly 2.1 million near elderly (a.k.a. not quite old enough for Medicare) lack any sort of insurance but people aged 55-64 are usually the ones who are in fair to poor health. Any kind of major health complication could end in disaster for them. And without benefits they are less likely to go and get preventative care.


Even those who qualify for Medicare don't necessarily get the coverage they need. With gaps in government health-care there are instances when participates have to pay for all their prescription costs out of pocket until they reached a certain monetary limit. Call it Medicare’s deductable if you will. Those limits are typically too high for retirees to pay out of pocket so they go without needed prescriptions.


I don't proclaim to know the answer to this; I just know that something has to be done. Next time someone has a comment about the healthcare reform debate, instead of thinking Republican VS Democrat think about a woman named Susan who worked from the time she was 11 years old but now in her late 60's only gets $546.00 in social security and $111.00 in disability payments. After she pays her rent she has only 144.00 pay bills and buy groceries.


Just some food for thought.

References:

• Powell-Griner, Eve, Bolen, Julie, Bland Shayne, Heath Care Coverage and Use of Preventive Services Among the Near Elderly in the United States, American Journal of Public Health, June 1999, Vol 89, No 6.
• Fletcher Stoeltje, Melissa, Hard Times Hardest on Elderly Poor, Express News, San Antonio TX
• The Associated Press, MSNBC, Hidden Pockets of elderly said to be in poverty, September 4, 2009