Thursday I sat with the new widow and the hospital chaplian and with my dead but still warm friend of many, many years. I arrived just after he had died. No problem. His gray body, face and toothless mouth spoke to me, and I spoke to him.
William A Maisel, Bill, died Aug 28 at 1:40PM. He was 84 years old. We had been friends since the middle 1970s. At first just by mail, but later starting in 1983 we spent much time together after he moved to Port Charlotte, FL and I started visiting Punta Gorda, FL.
Our common interest was stamp collecting, especially United States postal stationery. Bill was a major player in that field, and he shared information with me that helped my career. May he rest in peace.
This link is to Susan McDougal interviewed by buzzflash.com about her book, The Woman Who Wouldn't Talk. I found it interesting because I sense in America at the present time a person who speaks the truth will come under increasing pressure if the words question the actions of Pres Bush and Atty John Ashcroft.
I believe every conversation in America should start with the words, "Hello Bug."
"The Woman Who Wouldn't Talk," Susan McDougal, Talks With BuzzFlash.Com - A BuzzFlash Interview
Tomorrow I will be 70 years old. (Aug 24 1933). I'm as surprised as anyone that this has come about The best part is that tomorrow I will phone my mother, May Clark Stevens, and chat with her.
Here is a link to my recent article in Quest, the monthly publication of the Church of the Larger Fellowship of the Unitarian Universalist Association. It is a personal essay.
CLF Quest, July/August 2003
K-B Toys new action figure is Elite Aviator George W Bush. This link is to the pre issue order page. It will be available 10/15/2003.
K-B Toys Order Page
Mr Friedman has made an important contribution by presenting these two Sayyids to the Western press. I too, believe that fundamental Islam is the problem, and liberal Islam is the answer. Just as we in the West are harmed by fundamental Christianity and helped by liberal Christianity.
At 7PM EDT Sunday August 10, 2003 evening Mr Friedman's op-ed piece was number one on the list of most email articles on the New York Times web site.
Dinner With the Sayyids by Thomas L Friedman
A free encyclopedia. User created, user edited. Take a look.
Wikipedia - Wikipedia
Here is a thoughtful article by Diana West. I have a stake in this issue because of my project of using EID stamps on my mail along with a sticker supporting Muslims who live in peace with their neighbors.
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0803/west_2003_08_04.php3
I wonder what's happening for protesting the USA Patriot Act by using the internet? Here is a reference.
Who knows of others? How do we start a protest?
Protest.Net
USA Patriot Act makes me angry, not because I'm unpatriotic, but because it turns every person against every other person. Under the provisions of Section 215 the FBI can snoop on anyone by forcing some other person to yield up to the FBI all details of every sort of transaction and allows the FBI to obtain anything they want from any persons home. All this without any charges or court order just because they decide they want it.
I would think this would make a lot of people angry.
Here a link from Wired Magazine.
Wired News: Patriot Act Legal Attacks Pile Up
