Here and beyond, you shall find me, my life, my loves, my history. Step forth and learn.

Here and beyond, you shall find me, my life, my loves, my history. Step forth and learn. http://ratel.multiply.com/ I have existed from the morning of the world and I shall exist until the last star falls from the night. Although I have taken the form of Gaius Caligula, I am all men as I am no man and therefore I am a God. Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:46:00 -0000 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:57:00 -0000 Here and beyond, you shall find me, my life, my loves, my history. Step forth and learn. http://images.ratel.multiply.com/logo http://ratel.multiply.com/ 100 100 We Shall Keep the Faith <h2><a href="http://www.greatwar.co.uk/poems/faith.htm"><img class="alignright" src="http://www.greatwar.co.uk/umbrella/miona.GIF" border="0">We Shall Keep the Faith</a></h2> by Moina Michael, November 1918 Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields, Sleep sweet - to rise anew! We caught the torch you threw And holding high, we keep the Faith With All who died. We cherish, too, the poppy red That grows on fields where valor led; It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies, But lends a lustre to the red Of the flower that blooms above the dead In Flanders Fields. And now the Torch and Poppy Red We wear in honor of our dead. Fear not that ye have died for naught; We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought In Flanders Fields. http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/487/We_Shall_Keep_the_Faith Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:57:00 -0000 Dave D. <img class="alignmiddleb" src="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh320/djay_greenie/sexy_girls.jpg" border="0">Happy Birthday Dave! Here's to wishing you many more, and hoping you get a few nice ribbon-bedecked gifts today. http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/486/Dave_D. Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:07:00 -0000 Yebo Yes Foods Online South African Food shop in Southampton, UK Biltong, Boerewors, Beverages and Spices at great prices delivered to your door. Put on your GUMBOOTS and get in touch with your http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/41/Yebo_Yes_Foods Sat, 8 Nov 2008 23:17:48 -0000 Barack Obama: The 50 facts you might not know <h1><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3401168/Barack-Obama-The-50-facts-you-might-not-know.html"></a></h1><h1><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3401168/Barack-Obama-The-50-facts-you-might-not-know.html"><img style="width: 256px;height: 159px;" class="alignright" src="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01110/obama_school_1110001c.jpg" border="0"></a></h1> <h1><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3401168/Barack-Obama-The-50-facts-you-might-not-know.html">Barack Obama: The 50 facts you might not know</a></h1><h1><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3401168/Barack-Obama-The-50-facts-you-might-not-know.html"></a></h1> <h1><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3401168/Barack-Obama-The-50-facts-you-might-not-know.html"></a></h1> By Jon Swaine • He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics • He was known as "O'Bomber" at high school for his skill at basketball <h1><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3401168/Barack-Obama-The-50-facts-you-might-not-know.html"></a></h1> • His name means "one who is blessed" in Swahili • His favourite meal is wife Michelle's shrimp linguini • He won a Grammy in 2006 for the audio version of his memoir, Dreams From My Father • He is left-handed – the sixth post-war president to be left-handed • He has read every Harry Potter book • He owns a set of red boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali • He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can't stand ice cream • His favourite snacks are chocolate-peanut protein bars • He ate dog meat, snake meat, and roasted grasshopper while living in Indonesia • He can speak Spanish • While on the campaign trail he refused to watch CNN and had sports channels on instead • His favourite drink is black forest berry iced te... http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/485/Barack_Obama_The_50_facts_you_might_not_know_ Sat, 8 Nov 2008 18:12:00 -0000 Shell-Iraq gas company is a monopoly, secret agreement shows - UPI.com A secret document obtained by United Press International reveals a planned joint venture company between Royal Dutch Shell and the Iraqi Oil Ministry would give the company a 25-year monopoly on the gas industry of southern http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/40/Shell-Iraq_gas_company_is_a_monopoly_secret_agreement_shows_-_UPI.com Sat, 8 Nov 2008 17:33:21 -0000 America Serves (by force?) <a href="http://ratel.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SRW2EwoKCs4AAAuRwu81"><img class="alignmiddleb" src="http://images.ratel.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SRW2EwoKCs4AAAuRwu81/change.JPG?et=IRjJUCBZoS7xYmDEoJ2o%2Cg&nmid=0" border="0"></a> On the morning of Friday November 8th, 2008 the following text appeared on Obama’s <a href="http://change.gov/americaserves/">America Serves</a> web page: “The Obama Administration will call on Americans to serve in order to meet the nation’s challenges. President-Elect Obama will expand national service programs like AmeriCorps and Peace Corps and will create a new Classroom Corps to help teachers in underserved schools, as well as a new Health Corps, Clean Energy Corps, and Veterans Corps. Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by developing a plan to require 50 hours of community service in middle school and high school and 100 hours of community service in college every year. Obama will encourage retiring Americans to serve by improving programs available for individuals over age 55, while at the same time promoting youth programs such as Youth Build and Head Start.” By the end of day, the text had been changed to: “The Obama Administration will call on Americans to serve in order to meet the nat... http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/484/America_Serves_by_force Sat, 8 Nov 2008 15:53:00 -0000 Maps of the 2008 US presidential election results http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/39/Maps_of_the_2008_US_presidential_election_results Fri, 7 Nov 2008 18:38:08 -0000 Doubts over dark energy Some scientists are starting to question the very existence of the mysterious and almost undetectable dark energy. So where does this leave modern cosmology? As Carl Sagan said, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence". So here's an extraordinary claim for you: the universe does not consist primarily of stars or planets, nor hydrogen gas, nor even elusive dark matter, but an energy of an unknown kind that is undetectable except for its effect on the expansion of the http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/38/Doubts_over_dark_energy Thu, 6 Nov 2008 17:03:53 -0000 Congrats Mr. Obama! But don’t forget your promises <h1> <a href="http://www.lyved.com/news/congrats-mr-obama-but-dont-forget-your-promises/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Congrats Mr. Obama! But don’t forget your promises">Congrats Mr. Obama! But don’t forget your promises</a> </h1> <img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1078" src="http://www.lyved.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/obama_3.png" alt="" width="248" height="371">Your campaign was unprecedented and you deserve to celebrate. But you know you’re job had just begun. When you take over in January please don’t forget what you promised. There’s nothing worse than broken promises and no one is more notorious for them than politicians. It’s what angers voters the most, yet it’s what brings us back in hopes that a new candidate will hold his or her promises. Let us and Mr. Obama not lose focus on what he has pledged to do. Here are many significant promises he has proclaimed to America. <h2>His promises to families and citizens:</h2> - Cut taxes for working families earning less than $200,000. - Freeze foreclosures for 90 days to help homeowners. - Tax credit for buying fuel efficient cars. - Provide tax credit to cover public college and university tuition in exchange for community service or service to the country. -... http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/482/482 Wed, 5 Nov 2008 14:31:00 -0000 Gun Ban Barack Obama Senator Obama says “words matter.” But when it comes to your Second Amendment rights, he refuses to speak honestly about where he stands. In fact, Obama hides behind carefully chosen words and vague statements of support for sportsmen and gun rights to sidestep and camouflage the http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/37/Gun_Ban_Barack_Obama Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:51:53 -0000 Open Letter to Nation's Sportsmen <img class="alignleft" src="http://www.isra.org/images/logo75x54.gif" border="0"><a>Illinois State Rifle Association Executive Director Richard Pearson Issues Open Letter to Nation's Sportsmen Regarding Obama's History in the Illinois Senate</a> <pre class="release"> CHICAGO, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is the text of an open letter to the nation's hunters and sportsmen issued today by Illinois State Rifle Association Executive Director Richard Pearson: Fellow Sportsman, Hello, my name is Rich Pearson and I have been active in the firearm rights movement for over 40 years. For the past 15 years, I have served in the Illinois state capitol as the chief lobbyist for the Illinois State Rifle Association. I lobbied Barack Obama extensively while he was an Illinois State Senator. As a result of that experience, I know Obama's attitudes toward guns and gun owners better than anyone. The truth be told, in all my years in the Capitol I have never met a legislator who ha... http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/481/Open_Letter_to_Nations_Sportsmen Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:44:00 -0000 Barack Obama's Gun Record Richard Pearson joins Dave Kopel to discuss Obama's gun record. Obama has been paying lip service to how he supports sportsmen and gun rights, but what does his voting record actually say? Tune in to find out! Run Time: 0:21:27 http://ratel.multiply.com/music/item/78/Barack_Obamas_Gun_Record_ Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:27:34 -0000 Meet the Beckers Dysfunctional is not a word, it's a last http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/36/Meet_the_Beckers Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:14:28 -0000 XDRTB.org - Spread the story. Stop the Disease. XDRTB.org is an extraordinary effort to tell the story of extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and TB through powerful photographs taken by James Nachtwey. XDR-TB, or extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis, is a new and deadly mutation of tuberculosis. Similar in creation to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) but more extreme in its manifestation, it arises when common tuberculosis goes untreated or standard TB drugs are misused. James’ photographs represent these varying strains. Learn more about TB, MDR-TB and XDR-TB, and learn how you can take action to stop this deadly http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/35/XDRTB.org_-_Spread_the_story._Stop_the_Disease. Fri, 3 Oct 2008 16:26:24 -0000 Campaign tries to explain Palin's Putin comment Gov. Sarah Palin cites vigilance against Russian warplanes coming into U.S. airspace over Alaska as one of her foreign policy credentials. But the U.S. military command in charge says that hasn't happened in her 21 months in office. "When you consider even national security issues with Russia, as (Prime Minister Vladimir) Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where - where do they go? It's Alaska," the Republican vice presidential nominee said in an interview last week with CBS News' Katie http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/34/Campaign_tries_to_explain_Palins_Putin_comment Wed, 1 Oct 2008 16:02:53 -0000 Equal Opportunity Corrupters Obama is also the second-biggest recipient of campaign contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, behind only Senate Banking Committee chairman Christopher Dodd. What's remarkable is that the calculation by the Center for Responsive Politics covers 20 years, from 1989 to 2008, and yet Obama is at the top of the list after only one Senate campaign and four years in office. http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/33/Equal_Opportunity_Corrupters Wed, 1 Oct 2008 15:09:29 -0000 ACORN, Obama, and the Mortgage Mess Even with the removal of the ACORN provision from the current compromise bill, ACORN will still reap a windfall from this financial crisis. The first bailout bill passed a few weeks ago is already pumping what will eventually be billions of dollars into a slush fund to benefit organizations like ACORN and its affiliate, the ACORN Housing Council (AHC). http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/32/ACORN_Obama_and_the_Mortgage_Mess Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:44:41 -0000 Apex Predators Apex Predators Motor Trend: America's Best Handling Car If handling were simply about lap times and lateral-g numbers, the awesome Dodge Viper ACR would have run away with this test. But as our data show, and as Randy Pobst confirmed, handling is about nuance and consistency. If you look closely at the graphs, the diagrams, and the computer traces from our objective testing, three cars consistently produced the smoothest curves, or the most closely grouped data points: Audi R8, BMW M3, and Nissan GT-R. And two of those three-the R8 and the M3-figured right at the top of Pobst's subjective rankings. Before we get to our winner, though, let's review the finishing order from 10th place on up. Points System Scoring: 10th - Ford Shelby GT500KR 9th - Chevrolet Cobalt SS 8th - Mini Cooper S 7th - Dodge Viper ACR 6th - Mitsubishi Evo MR 5th - Porsche 911 Turbo 4th - Mazda RX-8 3rd - BMW M3 2nd - Nissan GT-R 1st - Audi R8 Randy Pobst's Subjective Analysis: 10th - Ford Shelb... http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/31/Apex_Predators Thu, 4 Sep 2008 02:12:12 -0000 Wine, Women, & Song Happy Birthday Dan. I hope it is filled with wine, women, and song. <img class="alignmiddleb" src="http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000HB0P1G.01-A25KCI3KJ0JKBZ._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V40664644_.jpg" border="0"> http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/480/Wine_Women_Song Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:48:00 -0000 Toyota Prius proves a gas guzzler in a race with the BMW 520d <a href="http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/used_car_reviews/article3552994.ece"><img class="alignright" src="http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/images/front_roadtest_images/car_rt_photo_178111_1_7.jpg" border="0">Toyota Prius proves a gas guzzler in a race with the BMW 520d</a> The Toyota hybrid is hailed as an eco-paragon, so how does it fare against a big BMW? To find out our correspondents go on a run to Geneva The Prius, like the iPod, is more than a piece of clever technology. It symbolises something bigger – a responsible attitude, a healthier way of living. Toyota has sold more than a million examples of the car since launching it in 1997 and it has attracted a worldwide following led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz and much of the rest of Hollywood. It’s classified by the American government as the “most fuel-efficient car sold in the US” and this seal of official approval is reflected in a special status that the Prius and other hybrids enjoy over conventionally powered cars. For example, you can drive a Prius in American “high occupancy vehicle lanes” – designed for vehicles carrying passengers – even if there’s nobody else in the car. In Britain the Prius has had a similar boost. You can ... http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/479/Toyota_Prius_proves_a_gas_guzzler_in_a_race_with_the_BMW_520d Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:45:00 -0000 Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills <h1 style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514"><img class="alignright" src="http://media.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2008/feb/play/boy_playing200.jpg" border="0">Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills</a></h1>by Alix Spiegel<a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=3">Morning Edition</a>, February 21, 2008 · On October 3, 1955, the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on television. As we all now know, the show quickly became a cultural icon, one of those phenomena that helped define an era. What is less remembered but equally, if not more, important, is that another transformative cultural event happened that day: The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the "Thunder Burp."I know — who's ever heard of the Thunder Burp? Well, no one. The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season. Until 1955, ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule, so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas. But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp, which, according to Howard Chudacoff, a cultural historian at Brown University, was a kind of historical ... http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/478/Old-Fashioned_Play_Builds_Serious_Skills Wed, 5 Mar 2008 18:59:00 -0000 1 New Item on My Amazon Wish-list (This blog entry was automatically generated by Multiply's Wish-list Cross-posting feature.) Below are items recently added to my Amazon wish-list. If you are familiar with anything below and have any comments or alternate suggestions, please leave a reply. <a href=http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html/?ie=UTF8&tag=multiply-20&type=wishlist&id=R7QF4H9YSF6N>Click here</a> to see my full and current wish-list. <hr style='display: none; width: 400px;'><a href='http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%3FASIN=1426201257%26tag=multiply-20%26lcode=xm2%26cID=2025%26ccmID=165953%26location=/o/ASIN/1426201257%253FSubscriptionId=1J3HCRRRA7MPKB447482%2526coliid=I2ASPFYO9FUKUW%2526colid=R7QF4H9YSF6N'><img style='padding-right: 8px;' src='http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31pnsSvgBJL.jpg' height='120' width='90' border=0></a><big><a href='http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%3FASIN=1426201257%26tag=multiply-20%26lcode=xm2%26cID=2025%26ccmID=165953%26location=/o/ASIN/1426201257%253FSubscriptionId=1J3HCRRRA7MPKB447482%2526coliid=I2ASPFYO9FUKUW%2526colid=R7QF4H9YSF6N'>Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips</a></big> Manufacturer: National Geographic Price: $17.99 <a class=select href=http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%3FASIN=1426201257%26tag=multiply-20%26lcode=xm2%26cID=2025%26ccmID=165953%26location=/o/ASIN/1426201257%253FSubscriptionId=1J3HCRRRA7MPKB447482%2526coliid=I2ASPFYO9FUKUW%2526colid=R7QF4H9YSF6N>Learn More</a> http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/477/1_New_Item_on_My_Amazon_Wish-list Sat, 1 Mar 2008 00:21:32 -0000 1 New Item on My Amazon Wish-list (This blog entry was automatically generated by Multiply's Wish-list Cross-posting feature.) Below are items recently added to my Amazon wish-list. If you are familiar with anything below and have any comments or alternate suggestions, please leave a reply. <a href=http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html/?ie=UTF8&tag=multiply-20&type=wishlist&id=R7QF4H9YSF6N>Click here</a> to see my full and current wish-list. <hr style='display: none; width: 400px;'><a href='http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%3FASIN=1594865841%26tag=multiply-20%26lcode=xm2%26cID=2025%26ccmID=165953%26location=/o/ASIN/1594865841%253FSubscriptionId=1J3HCRRRA7MPKB447482%2526coliid=I6706THS5H1FR%2526colid=R7QF4H9YSF6N'><img style='padding-right: 8px;' src='http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Axp-mNJsL.jpg' height='120' width='93' border=0></a><big><a href='http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%3FASIN=1594865841%26tag=multiply-20%26lcode=xm2%26cID=2025%26ccmID=165953%26location=/o/ASIN/1594865841%253FSubscriptionId=1J3HCRRRA7MPKB447482%2526coliid=I6706THS5H1FR%2526colid=R7QF4H9YSF6N'>Men's Health Power Training: Build Bigger, Stronger Muscles with through Performance-based Conditioning</a></big> Manufacturer: Rodale Books Price: $10.90 <a class=select href=http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%3FASIN=1594865841%26tag=multiply-20%26lcode=xm2%26cID=2025%26ccmID=165953%26location=/o/ASIN/1594865841%253FSubscriptionId=1J3HCRRRA7MPKB447482%2526coliid=I6706THS5H1FR%2526colid=R7QF4H9YSF6N>Learn More</a> http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/476/1_New_Item_on_My_Amazon_Wish-list Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:25:02 -0000 Make A Wish When Death Calls The Make A Wish Foundation is a charity that is there to ease a child's mind when death calls, and they should be supported by everyone. Please visit their web site, and if nothing else, send them an email of encouragement. <a href="http://www.wish.org/">http://www.wish.org/</a> http://ratel.multiply.com/links/item/30/Make_A_Wish_When_Death_Calls Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:14:26 -0000 A Bottle And Friend <a href="http://www.robertburns.org/works/163.shtml"><a href="/photos/hi-res/upload/R5nzegoKCs4AAELRx8I1"><img class="alignright" src="http://images.ratel.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/R5nzegoKCs4AAELRx8I1/Robertburnsprofile.jpg?et=eIwCh0uhPPy9jbKqY%2BHA8A&nmid=" border="0"></a>A Bottle And Friend</a> 1787     There's nane that's blest of human kind,     But the cheerful and the gay, man,     Fal, la, la, &c.     Here's a bottle and an honest friend!     What wad ye wish for mair, man?     Wha kens, before his life may end,     What his share may be o' care, man?     Then catch the moments as they fly,     And use them as ye ought, man:     Believe me, happiness is shy,     And comes not aye when sought, man.  http://ratel.multiply.com/journal/item/475/A_Bottle_And_Friend Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:33:00 -0000 The Secret History of Silicon Valley <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/01/18/secret_history_of_silicon_valley_gave_rise_to_modern_tech_giants/">Secret Military History Of Silicon Valley Gave Rise To Modern Tech Giants</a> Humphrey Cheung Mountain View (CA) - When you think about Silicon Valley you think about modern tech giants like Google, Yahoo and others, but did you know that this high-tech center of the Universe owes its existence to secret government cooperation dating back four decades? It certainly seems outlandish, but in a seminar given back on December 18th on the Google campus, entrepreneur and lecturer Steve Blank explained how the valley was born from billions of dollars worth of signals intelligence contracts from World War II and into the 1960s. Blank's talk titled ‘Hidden in Plain Sight' was part of Google's ongoing ‘TechTalk' series which invites knowledgeable lecturers onto the company's campus to help educate employees. Blank frequently lectures at Stanford's school of engineering, the Berkeley business school and Columbia business school. You can view Blank's talk here . Blank outlines the various... http://ratel.multiply.com/video/item/35/The_Secret_History_of_Silicon_Valley Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:00:28 -0000