EARLY SPRING!

Way to go Punxsutawney Phil!!!

Le Mustache 1913

The mustache is "in" for 2013.  The folk beard is out.

Dignified, sophisticated, refined, and above all else, ominous. The mere presence of The Handlebar automatically makes you a card-carrying member of the league of evil.

  You're fully capable of discussing philosophy, executing a high-stakes corporate take-over, and rigging dynamite to an oversize plunger, all at the same time. You're as intelligent and genteel as you are brutal and unforgiving.  Take note.

McRib is McWack

The McDonald's McRib is back, hitting restaurants nationwide today. The legendary boneless pork sandwich, famously molded to resemble a rack of ribs, is both a feat of modern engineering and shrewd marketing.

It garners almost as much attention for its pseudo-meat shape as its impermanence on restaurant menus. 

The barbecue-sauce-smothered sandwich was supposed to return at the end of October, but was pushed back to help boost end-of-the-year sales. 

Better late than never.  Or as I like to say, never, ever again.  The picture you see is my next door neighbor "Samson".  He is my friend, and yes he is a pig.  Every so often I would hear a snort or grunt at my front door and I would open to find his half hidden smile and kind eyes saying; "Can you and Lucky come out to play?"  He was always escaping from his pen to come and say hello.  Then he stopped his visits.  I wondered if his owners finally mended all his escape routes in their fence.  Lucky and I went looking for him one day and he was nowhere to be found.  Did he escape this time for good?  Why didn't he say goodbye?  Maybe he didn't have time.  He got that right.  His time was up.  His whole life was meant only for one thing.

Dinner.  He didn't end up in a McRib but what difference does it make.  He ended up.  Sad.

The McRib is a product of "restructured meat technology."

Rene Arend came up with the idea and design of the McRib, but it's a professor from the University of Nebraska named Richard Mandigo who developed the "restructured meat product" that the McRib is actually made of. 

According to an article from Chicago magazine, which cites a 1995 article by Mandigo, "restructured meat product" contains a mixture of tripe, heart, and scalded stomach, which is then mixed with salt and water to extract proteins from the muscle. The proteins bind all the pork trimmings together so that it can be re-molded into any specific shape — in this case, a fake slab of ribs.  Yum!

As it appears out of the box, the McRib sandwich consists of just five basic components: a pork patty, barbecue sauce, pickle slices, onions, and a sesame bun.

But, as recently reported by Time magazine, a closer inspection of McDonald's own ingredient list reveals that the pork sandwich contains a total of 70 ingredients. This includes azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent often used in the production of foamed plastics. 

Animal rights group sues McRib meat supplier over inhumane treatment of pigs.

Not everyone is ecstatic about the return of the McRib. Last November, the Humane Society of the United States filed a lawsuit against Smithfield Foods, the pork supplier of McDonald's McRib meat, claiming the meat distributor houses its pigs in unethical farm conditions. 

A 2010 undercover investigation by the animal rights group shows pigs crammed into gestation crates covered in blood and baby pigs being tossed into carts like rag dolls (WARNING: the video contains some pretty graphic content).  I won't eat animals anymore.  Animals are my friends and I don't eat my friends.

12-12-12

photo taken at 12:12 PM. EST on 12-12-12

Poor Dec. 12. It’s one of the year’s more interesting dates, but Dec. 21, what with all its doomsday this and end-of-the-world that, is completely monopolizing the spotlight. Sure, Dec. 21 is the winter solstice and the day that countless legions of gloomy doomsayers have anointed as the pinnacle of important dates, but Dec. 12 deserves some attention too. So in honor of the 346th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, here’s what Dec. 12 has to offer:

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific has declared Dec. 12, 2012, as Anti-Doomsday Day in celebration of rational thinking and reasoned discourse.

Dec. 12 is the last of the repeating dates until Jan. 1, 2101. Repeating dates (like 12/12/12) can, for obvious reasons, only occur in the first 12 years of a century.

At 12:12:12 p.m., the day will offer fans of the number 12 a whopping six repeats! 12/12/12 12:12:12. Nice.

At 1:21:02 a.m., palindrome lovers everywhere can rejoice in the single second that marks when the date-time combination is the same read both forwards and backwards: 2012-12-12 1:21:02 = 201212-1-212102.

But perhaps most fascinating of all, Dec. 12 is National Ambrosia Day; once known as food to the gods, now known as canned fruit combined with Cool Whip, sweetened coconut, mini-marshmallows, and the food-dye bombs called maraschino cherries. Yuk.  Which leads us to think that perhaps Dec. 12 would have made a good candidate for doomsday after all.  This is the first and last  time that I have been photographed on a repeated date in history.

" TO BEARD OR NOT TO BEARD "

When it comes to growing a beard not every man has what it takes.  Flaunting a beard at some point in time seems to be a rite of passage for most men.  It takes determination, patience and full commitment.  You cannot grow a beard in a moment of passion.  Interestingly enough a study found that of women surveyed, the majority find men to be less attractive when sporting a full face of hair.   However, this same group of women also perceived bearded men as garnering higher respect and being more powerful than clean-shaven men.  Over the course of history, men with beards have been ascribed various attributes such as wisdom, sexual virility, masculinity, or a higher status.  

Beards may also be perceived to be associated with creative types; Artists, Musicians, Writers, Actors and the like.  On the negative side it can mean a lack of general cleanliness, homelessness, a loss of refinement and in our present day and age, terrorists.  Ha!  So many people fear the beard or they don't trust it or a combination of both.  What I find interesting is that the beard is the only thing one man feels comfortable enough to approach another man - one whom he has never met - and compliment him on such.  No man will ever do the same with jeans, t-shirt or shoes (unless he's gay)  And if they do, it would be met with an uneasy reaction.  Not so with a beard compliment.  "Never trust a man with a beard"  is an old saying I'm sure we all have heard, and a strange saying to say the least, nonetheless spread by a man with the inability to grow a face of hair.  If these words of wisdom were true, should I not trust myself?  If I tell myself not to trust myself because I have a beard, how can I trust what I say to be trustworthy given that I have a beard?  No, I have a beard and am not to be trusted, so therefore I will ignore my advice and trust myself.  But wait.  I have a beard.  Never trust a man with a beard.  Look at politicians.  Almost none of them sport a facial fuzz.  George Osborne, Nick Clegg, Peter Mandelson.  Trustworthy?  I think not.  In fact you could say you should never trust an un-bearded politician.   David Cameron's nowhere near to growing a beard.  A sign surely you should definitely never trust him.  It's foolproof.  Never trust a politician without a beard.  Period.  If we were not to trust men with beards, where would we be now?  Think of all the great men who sported a face rug.  Let's start with the two most famous men in the history of the world.  Santa Claus and Jesus Christ.  The men who invented Christmas and Easter Eggs.  You never ever saw them without their beards, ever.  OK, Santa Claus is fictional but maybe so is Jesus Christ.  I can't imagine them having the impact that they have beardless.  Can you?  What about all the other great bearded men.  Leonardo Da Vinci?  Beard.  Vincent Van Gogh?  Beard.  Charles Dickens?  Beard.  William Shakespeare?  Beard.  Abraham Lincoln?  Beard.   Zeus, Socrates, Plato.  Beard.  Beard.  Beard.  Karl Marx, Grigori Rasputin, Che Guevara.  Beard.  Beard.  Beard.  That's just a few, but what would have happened if our ancestors had shunned such greats purely on the basis that the protagonists 'Had a beard'?  

People ask me why I have a beard.  There is no real reason other than I just can't be bothered to shave my face anymore.  It really does just occur naturally.  It's not a life choice.  It just happens.  Honest.  You can trust me.  I have a beard now.  My face just sprouts hair regularly.  Having said that, there are elements of having such a creature that are pleasurable.  Once you get past of the itchy faze a few weeks in, it's rather quite soft and I like the way if feels.  I also like to brush and comb it.  I miss that since I started shaving the head almost 20 years ago.  I enjoy stroking it when I get asked a posing question.  I like the way it smells.  Really.  It smells good.  You have to rub it a few times, but the sheer manly scent generated is second only to the wonderful aroma of a crew cut.  It's hard to describe, but bearded men know what I am talking about.  I can also store food in my beard.  Did I enjoy that s'more I had earlier?  Good.  I can lick my beard and still pick out bits of graham cracker, chocolate bar and marshmallow for hours afterward.  I'm only joking.  I don't eat s'mores.  In fact I don't think I ever ate one.  I do have to be careful of the food that passes through my whiskers.  I enjoy the fact it confirms me to the younger generation as a 'real adult'.  I embrace that it enables me to give a ticking off to strangers - they  listen, rarely questioning what I say.  Sometimes they're frozen in fear.  Maybe I enjoy that too much.  But hey, shut the fuck up.  I've got a beard.  Facial hair is cool.  Seriously.  Having a dark forest of hair covering your face gives you an aura of suave mystery and a classy, debonair air.  Paired with sunglasses, confidence and a killer smile, you can be one badmotherfucker.  For the dudes without beards who might be reading this, I encourage you to grow hair on those chins.  You'll feel more like a man than ever before.  You can take my beard for it.  All in all, I think beards should be celebrated.  I think we can finally dispel the myth.  Bearded men can be trusted.  Bearded women however..................

WHAT REALLY MATTERS?

Maybe nothing will matter to us anymore when we leave this earth, but the quality of how we live and give of our self while we are alive will.

Our loved ones will inherit everything we ever bought or owned, but I believe what will really matter is what we leave behind other than the material.  When was the last time you saw a hearse pulling a U-Hall?

I believe what matters is what we give to others, not what we receive; what we teach, not just what we learn; how we empower others while empowering ourselves.  The examples of HOW we lived will be left behind for our children and grandchildren and to our friends and loved ones.  Making a difference while we are here by showing compassion for all living things and caring for ourselves and our planet will matter.  Letting the people and animals we care about know we love them and being kind to those who need it will always matter, not only now, but long after we are gone.

It also helps to look good, walk tall and carry a big stick.

11-11-11 THE TRUE MEANING BY CHRISTO

I am a keeper of light.  A messenger.  An old soul.  A lot of us are on this planet.  Our Function is to work in conjunction with the Midwayers, or Spirit Guardians, who time-prompt millions around the world with their 11:11 AM, 11:11 PM, and other numerical prompts. It is the 11:11 Progress Group’s task to make the Midwayers better known, and it does so in 4 languages – English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

The Midwayers, 1,111 in number are Planetary Helpers, Spiritual Teachers, and Messengers. At times they are allowed to show themselves by projecting their images, even enter our time-frame by altering their physical constitution.

The Guardians are often leery about coming forward, because their materializing can spook people a great deal, but they can do that. What they are after is your cooperation for the benefit of all.
To those who are familiar with them, they will occasionally show up. Other regular time prompts, generally, are part of the individual codes they have, besides having names in most instances.

12:12 is simply a reminder of the 11:11 code. 12:34 and 12:48 are prompts that may ask you to "progress" in the work you are doing.

What It Really Means. 

Getting the 11:11 PM wake-up calls, and the 11:11 AM reminder calls, tells you more about you than it does about the 1,111 Secondary Midwayers. 

1. You are genetically capable of 2-way contact with the 1,111 and other Celestials. 
2. You are prepared to be guided -- Obtain information from those who measure their IQ's in the thousands. 
3. You are fair in your dealings with others, and useful to the 1,111. 
4. You are 'ascending' in spiritual growth. 
5. I'm often told they will also need you at some distant future time, but I hardly ever get details. Getting info on the future of others is a rare thing. 
6. And most important, your Thought Adjuster (Spirit Self or God Fragment) wishes for you to get involved. 

About the angels:

The angels do their best to get our attention and to communicate with us. In this way, they help us heal our own lives. However, we often discount the signs they give us, writing them off as mere coincidences or our imagination. The angels say: “We can’t write our messages to you in the sky. You’ve got to pay attention and believe when you see any patterns forming in your life — especially in response to any questions or prayers you’ve posed. When you hear the same song repeatedly or see the same number sequence, who do you think is behind this? Your angels, of course!” 

Your angels often communicate messages to you by showing you sequences of numbers. They do this in two ways. First, they subtly whisper in your ear so you’ll look up in time to notice the clock’s time or a phone number on a billboard. The angels hope you’ll be aware that you’re seeing this same number sequence repeatedly. For instance, you may frequently see the number sequence 111, and it seems every time you look at a clock the time reads 1:11 or 11:11. 

The second way in which angels show you meaningful number sequences is by physically arranging for, say, a car to drive in front of you that has a specific license plate number they want you to see. Those who are aware of this phenomenon become adept at reading the meaning of various license plates. In this way, the angels will actually give you detailed messages. Here are the basic meanings of various number sequences. However, your own angels will tell you if your situation holds a different meaning for you. Ask your angels, “What are you trying to tell me?” and they’ll happily give you additional information to help decode their numeric meanings. 

111 — Monitor your thoughts carefully, and be sure to only think about what you want, not what you don’t want. This sequence is a sign that there is a gate of opportunity opening up, and your thoughts are manifesting into form at record speeds. The 111 is like the bright light of a flash bulb. It means the universe has just taken a snapshot of your thoughts and is manifesting them into form. Are you pleased with what thoughts the universe has captured? If not, correct your thoughts (ask your angels to help you with this if you have difficulty controlling or monitoring your thoughts). 

222 — Our newly planted ideas are beginning to grow into reality. Keep watering and nurturing them, and soon they will push through the soil so you can see evidence of your manifestation. In other words, don’t quit five minutes before the miracle. Your manifestation is soon going to be evident to you, so keep up the good work! Keep holding positive thoughts, keep affirming, and continue visualizing. 

333 — The Ascended Masters are near you, desiring you to know that you have their help, love, and companionship. Call upon the Ascended Masters often, especially when you see the number 3 patterns around you. Some of the more famous Ascended Masters include: Jesus, Moses, Mary, Quan Yin, and Yogananda. 

444 — The angels are surrounding you now, reassuring you of their love and help. Don’t worry because the angels’ help is nearby. 

555 — Buckle your seatbelts. A major life change is upon you. This change should not be viewed as being "positive" or "negative," since all change is but a natural part of life’s flow. Perhaps this change is an answer to your prayers, so continue seeing and feeling yourself being at peace. 

666 — Your thoughts are out of balance right now, focused too much on the material world. This number sequence asks you to balance your thoughts between heaven and earth. Like the famous "Sermon on the Mount," the angels ask you to focus on spirit and service, and know your material and emotional needs will automatically be met as a result. 

777 — The angels applaud you…congratulations, you’re on a roll! Keep up the good work and know your wish is coming true. This is an extremely positive sign and means you should also expect more miracles to occur. 

888 — A phase of your life is about to end, and this is a sign to give you forewarning to prepare. This number sequence may mean you are winding up an emotional career, or relationship phase. It also means there is light at the end of the tunnel. In addition, it means, “The crops are ripe. Don’t wait to pick and enjoy them.” In other words, don’t procrastinate making your move or enjoying fruits of your labor. 

999 — Completion. This is the end of a big phase in your personal or global life. Also, it is a message to lightworkers involved in Earth healing and means, "Get to work because Mother Earth needs you right now." 

000 — A reminder you are one with God, and to feel the presence of your Creator’s love within you. Also, it is a sign that a situation has gone full circle

Nothing dramatic is going to happen today.  People having spiritual outings today really isn't going to do much but try to convince themselves that something special is going to take place very soon.  A new age is coming.

An age of peace and love.  Not war and hate.  But that won't happen overnight.

Look for the signs all around you.  Heart shapes in every form always appear to me.

More on that in another blog.

Aliens are going to show themselves very soon and help us with the future travel and saving of this planet.

More on that in another blog.

FAITH  HOPE  LOVE  TRUST  BELIEVE ............AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW.