Comment

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 8, 2012 at 10:54am

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You strive for both breadth of knowledge and specificity of facts. This is a recipe for trying to know everything so you have to select categories and levels of detail. Let need and desire guide you on this.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You have strengths in both creativity and logic. You have to find the right balance when using them. Don't be creative beyond what can be suggested by logic nor let strict logical forms inhibit your creative leaps.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You sense that you are so right that you can crush anyone with the strength of your evidence and arguments. Thing is, you're also very kind and have no wish to crush anyone. You need to practice being kind and convincing without holding back.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Your attention tends to be too broad and so needs to be more specific to your needs. You have to sort meaningful facts from trivia. Available resources are flooded with irrelevancies and distractions and you must weed them out.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Close relationships, especially in the family, are due for a rupture today. There is a measure of independence gained now so ensure that it goes well. Resistance can cause a separation with bad feelings.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your learning should be geared toward improving professional skills or keeping up with the knowledge of the field. Some can gain prominence through showing what they know and by teaching many others.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You can switch between being non-judgmentally generous and judgmentally harsh. A lot depends on what assumptions you hold and how well you apply them. You must be both reasonable and compassionate.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You are struggling with balancing many considerations that don't fit well together. You want to be emotionally close, yet professionally distant. You want to be cooperative and competitive. You walk a fine line among contradictions.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A business partner can be instrumental in professional or public recognition. You need to stay in good humor in order to impress people. You have discussions in order to teach but you also need to listen and learn.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You look for education and philosophy to gibe meaning and expanded perspective on your everyday activities. You feel the need to understand the why of things, instead of just accepting them the way they are.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You can feel that your ability to make a public impact is inhibited by family considerations. It may be that by being in the public eye will turn opinions around and make people proud of you.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You both need to have debates and you are afraid of them. You can be unsure about your ability to win but you only need to practice. Winning isn't important so much as honing your skill at it for when it counts.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 8, 2012 at 10:53am

"Keep your life simple because the more you get, the more complicated it becomes."

-- Joe Coyhis, STOCKBRIDGE-MUNSEE

The old ones say, lead a simple life. The society we live in is all about getting more houses, cars, luxury and credit cards. The law of worry says, the more you have, the more you need to worry. You get a house, then you need insurance, then you need to take care of the yard and the list goes on. Next, you may want a bigger house with a bigger yard which costs more in insurance. Along with the accumulation of materialism, are other "gifts." Soon you become a slave and the materialism owns you. Lead a simple life and have peace of mind. Lead a simple life and be spiritual.

Creator, let my foundation be spiritual and simple.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 6, 2012 at 9:14am

We all form self-images and much of our behavior is pretty well determined by how we feel about ourselves."

-- Eunice Baumann-Nelson, Ph.D., PENOBSCOT

There is a cycle of building beliefs called the self talk cycle. Our self talk builds our self image and our self image determines our behavior, our actions, and our self worth - how we feel about ourselves. If we want to change the way we feel about ourselves we need to change our self talk. We need to build ourselves up. We need to talk to ourselves in a kind, positive, uplifting, good way. We need to talk to ourselves about the good things that are happening and know that we are worthy and expect abundance.

Oh Great Spirit, today help me to know myself. Help me to see the joy, kindness, strength and beauty that I am

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 6, 2012 at 9:14am

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You express yourself too carelessly today. By showing off, you're apt to arouse more contempt than respect. If you give gifts, make them appropriate to the recipient rather than something that simply makes you feel good.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You're apt to be in full competition over who has the most money and the most goods. You're in danger of showing overblown vanity now, thus creating a lot of tension. Strive for true excellence of character instead.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You put a lot of energy into work today. Many expect better rewards than usual. There is a good possibility of recognition now. Those in ill-health must look out for increased intensity of inflammation or fever.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You want to indulge in pleasure today. You're excitable and it's hard to be austere. Beware of excessive spending. It would be constructive to strengthen your religious or spiritual practices.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You want to be helpful but you have a great challenge to determine who really needs it. You're to try too much or inappropriately. The weak and helpless need assistance more than those who can help themselves.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your energy can be the envy of the people around you. You have the verve and the audacity to get things done. You're clever at manipulating the rules now and in ways that most likely are completely legit.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You're apt to base momentary success on a transient relationship. You're challenged to develop a more sound basis for continued success. Develop talents that can be broadly applied.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You're feeling energetic today so a lot of self-control is necessary. Study your motives carefully and never act from negativity. It's important to substitute sincere positive motives instead.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You're apt to pretend agreement just to avoid arguments. You want to be a good pal and resort to flattery. You're challenged to disagree tactfully and expect people to have tougher skin than you give them credit for.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You throw yourself into your job today. You enjoy a good challenge: an obstacle gets your adrenaline flowing. You need to watch out for enthusiasm tipping over into anger, however.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): There is a strong tendency to mix romance and work but this is problematic. While having some charisma may be unavoidable, it's important to pursue professional excellence instead of abusing the attention you get.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You can't wait for long, drawn-out plans now. You must, however, ensure you have a sound plan in place. You can fail on account of impatience -- unwillingness to plan and to accumulate resources.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 6, 2012 at 9:07am

Sep 6, 1522:
Magellan's expedition circumnavigates globe

One of Ferdinand Magellan's five ships--the Vittoria--arrives at SanlÚcar de Barrameda in Spain, thus completing the first circumnavigation of the world. The Vittoria was commanded by Basque navigator Juan SebastiÁn de Elcano, who took charge of the vessel after the murder of Magellan in the Philippines in April 1521. During a long, hard journey home, the people on the ship suffered from starvation, scurvy, and harassment by Portuguese ships. Only Elcano, 17 other Europeans, and four Indians survived to reach Spain in September 1522.

On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain in an effort to find a western sea route to the rich Spice Islands of Indonesia. In command of five ships and 270 men, Magellan sailed to West Africa and then to Brazil, where he searched the South American coast for a strait that would take him to the Pacific. He searched the RÍo de la Plata, a large estuary south of Brazil, for a way through; failing, he continued south along the coast of Patagonia. At the end of March 1520, the expedition set up winter quarters at Port St. Julian. On Easter day at midnight, the Spanish captains mutinied against their Portuguese captain, but Magellan crushed the revolt, executing one of the captains and leaving another ashore when his ship left St. Julian in August.

On October 21, he finally discovered the strait he had been seeking. The Strait of Magellan, as it became known, is located near the tip of South America, separating Tierra del Fuego and the continental mainland. Only three ships entered the passage; one had been wrecked and another deserted. It took 38 days to navigate the treacherous strait, and when ocean was sighted at the other end Magellan wept with joy. He was the first European explorer to reach the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic. His fleet accomplished the westward crossing of the ocean in 99 days, crossing waters so strangely calm that the ocean was named "Pacific," from the Latin word pacificus, meaning "tranquil." By the end, the men were out of food and chewed the leather parts of their gear to keep themselves alive. On March 6, 1521, the expedition landed at the island of Guam.

Ten days later, they dropped anchor at the Philippine island of Cebu--they were only about 400 miles from the Spice Islands. Magellan met with the chief of Cebú, who after converting to Christianity persuaded the Europeans to assist him in conquering a rival tribe on the neighboring island of Mactan. In subsequent fighting on April 27, Magellan was hit by a poisoned arrow and left to die by his retreating comrades.

After Magellan's death, the survivors, in two ships, sailed on to the Moluccas and loaded the hulls with spice. One ship attempted, unsuccessfully, to return across the Pacific. The other ship, the Vittoria, continued west under the command of Juan SebastiÁn de Elcano. The vessel sailed across the Indian Ocean, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and arrived at the Spanish port of SanlÚcar de Barrameda on September 6, 1522, becoming the first ship to circumnavigate the globe. The Vittoria then sailed up the Guadalquivir River, reaching Seville a few days later.

Elcano was later appointed to lead a fleet of seven ships on another voyage to Moluccas on behalf of Emperor Charles V. He died of scurvy en route.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 5, 2012 at 9:21am

ARIES (March 21-April 19): This is a good day for an honest discussion of the home finances and budget. Spouses need to put their heads and hearts together and make intelligent, far-sighted plans and stick to them.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You feel frustrated when you try different approaches without seeing any of them through. You start with great hopes but are liable to defeat yourself. You need to be consistent and deliberate.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You can feel trapped in an unpleasant situation today. You are challenged to be more understanding of people and the reasons why the circumstances are being put upon you. Accept it with grace and it will turn out better.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): This is a good day to discuss your feelings with a partner. The course of the relationship must be explicitly understood by both of you. This is a day you can tell each other where you stand and what you want.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You need to reserve some quiet time today to think things over. First you engage, then you consider, then you decide. Otherwise you will wind up being moved by events instead of moving them by your choices.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): People are hard to get along with today until you have better understanding of their personalities and outlooks. By taking a different approach, you can begin getting different -- and better -- responses.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You would do well to expand your expertise on the job today. Allow yourself to see different aspects outside your usual duties. You may learn something necessary, or even something more appealing.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You're feeling ambitious but it may be hard to listen to any advice that would slow you down. Yet, planning and preparations are needed over diving into enterprises unprepared. You don't need to stop, just slow down a bit.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You are liable to push yourself more than usual to keep up appearances. The situation, or a partner, isn't the best right now so you feel you have to cover until everything improves.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Expect to need a little help with carrying out your ambitions today. You need to get approval and a go-ahead. Unless higher-ups look with favor upon you, you won't get very far on your own.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): It's important to build on your strengths today rather than trying to improve your weaknesses. The latter strategy can be tried at a later time but today it's better to do what you're good at.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Thorny issues need to be aired but do so without a confrontation. Try to keep the discussion about the issue, not about personalities. You can afford to be gentle with the person who means a lot to you.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 5, 2012 at 9:21am

"Decisions that have been made for the last couple of centuries have been decisions made without the presence of a real God....from the vision, not of God, but of money."

-- Tom Porter, MOHAWK

As we view the world today, it's easy to see the people are off track. We are no longer living in harmony. Focusing on the material only leads us from the path of the Creator. We must now pray for ourselves and the people in a pitiful way. We must be humble and ask the Great Spirit to intervene because if we don't, our children will continue to have troubles. They are acting out our behavior as adults. Today is a good time to start. We need to get the spiritual way back into our lives. We need to focus on the spiritual.

My Creator, help me to focus on the spiritual way

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 5, 2012 at 9:19am

Sep 5, 1666:
Londoners desperately attempt to halt fire

Firefighters in London begin blowing up homes in a desperate attempt to halt the spread of a great fire through the city on this day in 1666. All other attempts to stop the progress of the flames over the previous three days had failed. By the time the fire was finally snuffed out the following day, more than 100,000 people had been left homeless.

London in the 17th century was no stranger to large fires. In one incident, a gunpowder fire killed 27 people and, in another, the homes on London Bridge were consumed in a blaze. Just outside of London, hundreds of houses burned in Oxford, Marlborough, Southwold and Newport in the years leading up to 1666. Still, the city had not established an official fire department.

In 1666, London was one of the largest cities in the world, with 400,000 residents spread out over 458 acres within the city's walls. At about 2 a.m. on Sunday, September 2, a fire broke out in the home of Thomas Farynor, one of the king's bakers. Most of Farynor's family escaped the flames by climbing out a window and onto a neighbor's roof. However, a servant in the house did not use this exit because he was afraid of heights; he died in the fire.

The tightly packed houses on London's narrow streets were susceptible to fire because of their wood frames. Also, most homes contained supplies of flammable materials such as oils, tallow and resin. A strong westerly wind toward the city center helped to fan the flames. At 3 a.m., the mayor was awakened to alert him of the spreading blaze, but he determined that the fire was not seriously threatening and did not take action.

Despite his optimism, the fire continued to spread during the day on Sunday, outpaced only by the rumors that it had been set by foreigners. Mobs began assaulting immigrants throughout the city. King Charles II showed up and directly supervised the firefighting efforts. Meanwhile, looting was rampant and entrepreneurs from outside the city took the opportunity to charge residents outrageous prices to haul their belongings out of the fire's range. By Sunday night, the fire had advanced more than a half mile west.

On Monday, the king took steps to restore civil order to the city and brought in the militia. The militia, however, was powerless to stop the fire from destroying the high-end business section of the city. The Royal Exchange, where commodities were traded, was consumed, but Leadenhall, a large marketplace to the north, was saved. On Tuesday, September 4, the fire picked up strength. The residents of Oxford, 60 miles away, could see and smell the smoke. St. Paul's Cathedral, the most prominent building in the city, burned, along with the thousands of valuable books stored inside. The Tower of London was spared only because the surrounding buildings were demolished and torn down to prevent them from burning. The fire even managed to jump the city's walls and spread to the suburbs.

Finally, on September 5, weakening winds allowed the fire to be contained, although it was not fully brought under control until the morning of Thursday, September 6. Remarkably, although a good portion of the city had been devastated, only eight people lost their lives to the blaze. The ground remained too hot to walk on for a day and ash clogged the streets. King Charles II ordered that bread be brought to the city to feed the displaced people. He also addressed the refugees and told them that it was not the French or Dutch who were responsible for the fire but, instead, that it was God's will. His words did not stop his citizens from hanging a French watchmaker who had been coerced into confessing.

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 4, 2012 at 9:46am

"the Elders say that if you want something good, you have to suffer for it."

-- Chuck Ross, LAKOTA

People sometimes have a misconception of sacrifice. This is a strong word for Indian people. On the other side of sacrifice is another whole world. During sacrifice, our beliefs are tested. We may all have good beliefs but if you test a good belief, then you get real beliefs. Real beliefs make new people; real beliefs make new self images. Real beliefs allow determination and desires and faith to come true. Good is always available to us but we often can't bring it within until we let go of the old ways. We let go of the old ways by suffering. Suffering is only letting go of things that don't work anymore. On the other side of suffering is a new world.

Creator, help me to let go of old ways. Let my old thoughts and beliefs be abandoned. Every change is preceded by struggle. Help me go through the struggle today

Comment by Dept of PMM Artists & things on September 4, 2012 at 9:35am

Sep 4, 476:
Western Roman Empire falls

Romulus Augustus, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed by Odoacer, a German barbarian who proclaims himself king of Italy.

Odoacer was a mercenary leader in the Roman imperial army when he launched his mutiny against the young emperor. At Piacenza, he defeated Roman General Orestes, the emperor's powerful father, and then took Ravenna, the capital of the Western empire since 402. Although Roman rule continued in the East, the crowning of Odoacer marked the end of the original Roman Empire, which centered in Italy.

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