I used to use bookmarks, but sometimes they fall out or my special needs son decides they don't belong there, so I've switched to using paperclips. They work well and are cheap and I can have lots of them for all of the books I'm reading including my son's school books.

Seeing the evil in the world and realizing that our times is short, keep these words from Jude 1:17-23 in mind:

17But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” 19These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. 20But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

Romans 8:28 (NASB1995)

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

The key word is "ALL". There is nothing, no matter how bad it seems, that isn't for our good and for the good of others and for the purpose of upholding his plan. Many times we can see the good if we are looking for it, but sometimes we may not see the good until we reach heaven.

2015 was this for me. I had one horrible thing after another happen, but each one prepared me for the next and when it was all done, my whole family and I were all better off. Although I never would have chosen these things for myself, after seeing all the good that came from it, I would not give them up for anything. I was truly blessed.

Gold (and silver) and BTC both have their strengths. Although BTC has more there are situations where the precious metals could be more useful. A diversified portfolio should have both. I don't like fiat, but it has its use case as well (at least for the moment) because it is accepted so universally. People do need to keep in mind that dollar denominated investments, like stocks, bonds, & ETFs, will be effected by what the dollar does, so if someone only has dollar denominated investments, they aren't truly diversified.

Never, ever, never! Not under any circumstance!

Someone has to be seriously addicted to the internet to ever consider a brain implant. Not only is messing with the brain dangerous, but if you can communicate out and receive information, there is always the risk that someone will use the implant to program your brain. No, thank you!

What's the difference between a conspiracy theory (or misinformation) and the truth?

About 6 months.

That is why I homeschool. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

I don't believe the government school system is fixable. Even the teachers, who are acting with 100% altruistic motives and who believe they are always teaching the truth, are so indoctrinated that they indoctrinate even when they believe they are educating.

It is funny how the crazy liberal woman can almost be known before they ever open their mouths. I can't explain what their defining appearance is, but I recognize them.

There should be no law and no punishment for anything that doesn't have an actual victim and "society" or "the government" cannot be that victim. The harm done to the victim cannot be solely hurt feelings. If this was done, it would solve a lot of problems.

I'm sure even greater reductions in government power could be good, but just this would make things so much better.

Since every dollar created is equivalent to a dollar of debt and since debt has to be paid back with interest, by definition there cannot be enough dollars to payback the debt plus interest. This means the entire value of everything is slowly transferred to the bankers, the people who issued the debt. They knew what they were doing when they created this system.

A money out of nothing (like most people think we have) would be much better than the system of theft we endure.

I used to have free proton mail, but I now pay for it because I want my private email to stick around and I don't want them motivated to sell my info to stay in business. Of course I also get some extra features with the paid version.

I wanted to get rid of my yahoo account entirely, but I have used it for so long and many websites, that I use for work, use the email for login and won't let me change it, so I have 2 emails, one for normie functions and one for everything else.

Thanks.

I usually listen to a podcast while working in my garden. I like any time I can multitask.

If nothing else, giving a 3% discount, due to not having to pay CC processing fees, seems very reasonable. You could argue a bigger discount is better if you want to encourage getting paid in BTC more, but giving the 3% discount would be reasonable even if you were going to instantly convert to fiat.

I was engaged to someone else before marrying my husband (just celebrated 24 years). When I first broke up with him, I doubted myself. I felt guilty. I was unsure. Shortly later, the guy was engaged to someone else. All my friends were asking me if I was OK. I was totally OK. This confirmed that I had made the right decision. Two years later, my ex was divorced. I've been happily married for 24 years. Don't settle. If your heart tells you something isn't right, it probably isn't. Marriage should be forever. You don't want to make a mistake.

Borrowed from the Bob Livingston Letter:

"It is frightening how the U.S. establishment has confused cause and effect by and through a flag-waving mania in America. "Patriotism" throughout history has covered a multitude of mischief. We are seeing it now, especially around Sept. 11th. We are face-to-face with a modern tyranny. Patriotism is the cover. The American flag is the symbol.

Look no further than the new housing developments in North Carolina that will require residents to "display their patriotism by flying the American flag year-round, so patriotism can be 'lived' there, too," a local TV station reported.

Developer Brock Funkhouser calls it the "1776 Standard," saying, "Our vision is to combine elements of American patriotism, homeownership as the American dream, and the founding ideals." He added that everyone is expected to accept the United States Constitution.

Dear reader, the flag is not the U.S. Constitution. It is not even America. After all, is it not the most American of all things to resist and rebel against what we perceive as tyranny and its symbols?

If we deny one — whether through intimidation and threats, monetary sanctions or government force — his rights, are we not creating a situation where rights are just privileges that can be denied on a whim? If we support police power to invade our homes and wallets and steal our property just because government has made it "legal," are we not again conceding that rights are merely privileges?

You cannot say, "I believe in the 1st Amendment, but...; I believe in the 2nd Amendment, but...; I believe in the 4th Amendment, but..." There is no but.

And if that government making "legal" the assaults on our liberty is represented by a symbol, shouldn't we conclude that that symbol is a symbol of tyranny?

Our perception of America has always been that she is the mother country and ordained by God, good and just and a beacon of freedom. This is hammered into our psyches from our early days.

From pre-school up, we are taught to worship the state. I don't know if it is still done, but in the public (non)education system, for many years, schoolchildren across the South — and elsewhere, I suppose — recited the Pledge of Allegiance each morning. Political rallies and government meetings are still often begun with a recitation of the pledge.

People say it with patriotic fervor, with their hands placed dutifully on their hearts.

Sporting events, political rallies and other public venues are often kicked off with the playing and/or singing of the Star Spangled Banner. Before the song begins, people are instructed to rise, men to remove their hats, and people place their hands over their hearts. They don't realize its value as a propaganda tool.

We have come to equate the flag, the pledge and the national anthem with patriotism, and patriotism with government, country and support for government, support for foreign wars and veterans. Anything less is "un-American."

Phony patriotism like this is strong leverage against a population ignorant of the ways of treason by its own government. When George Washington said "government is force," he meant that government is force against its own people.

Since by definition government is force, then it follows that government will use any ruse imaginable to increase its power. Increased use of government force or power could backfire unless skillfully handled and justified in the public mind. Therefore governments rarely take action unless accompanied by skillful propaganda.

Hats Off to the American Golden Calf

Beyond its patriot fervor is the almost religious fervor and religious symbolism of the American people's actions when the pledge and the national anthem begin: the ritual standing, removal of hats, placing of hands and rote recitation.

In the book of Daniel, Israelites Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) refused to worship the golden image of Nebuchadnezzar contrary to the king's decree. The king ordered them to be thrown into the furnace after it was turned up to seven times its normal temperature.

NFL player Colin Kaepernick created a stir when he refused to stand for the national anthem. He was not subsequently ordered into the furnace by the king, but he was burned symbolically by many football fans who torched their jerseys. Americans fumed that he should "leave" America if he can't support the flag and that he had disrespected the flag, the nation and veterans.

What are we saying when we say that someone "disrespected the flag," or "disrespected the country," or "disrespected the veterans" if he chooses to not stand for the national anthem?

What is the flag but a piece of cloth?

By the reactions on both sides of the political aisle, it seems it has become more of a golden calf to represent mother country or the god of government.

Our mother has become a witch. Yes, same symbols, same flag, same pledge of allegiance, but a decadent spirit controlling the perceptions of the American people, keeping them on the animal farm (controlling their perceptions) long enough to impoverish and enslave them.

Time and gradualism can change a system all the way from human liberty to slavery (the animal farm) over a few generations without anyone being aware except a very few, those who ask questions.

"America, love it or leave it," is a tired canard. Recall that in 1860-1861 11 states attempted to "leave it" in order to preserve their liberty and rights as sovereign states. They were branded as "insurrectionists" and attacked by the Republican War Party and the result was their economic and social destruction, subjugation and the deaths of some 850,000 people. When one talks of secession today he's branded as a racist, crazy or a radical and told secession is "illegal."

One can love his country but hate his government and its actions. I love America but not the people who control America and its government. I love America, but its rulers are alien to individual freedom, its government now anathema to liberty.

If the flag is symbolic of government and that government lies at every turn, enslaves its people, steals from their labor, passes laws that are an execration to their faith, takes from them their liberty, exports tens of thousands of jobs to ruin America's middle class and drive down wages for everyone, and that makes war on other countries that have not threatened us, why should any acknowledge its presence with more than a sneer?

Wars are not for patriotism and "democracy," as we are propagandized. And our freedom has not been threatened by outside forces in 200 years. Wars are to kill; i.e., mass ritual murder. Additionally, big business and globalist banksters reap massive profits for the killing and sacrifice of young men (lambs) on all sides of combat.

If the flag is symbolic of the Constitution, that Constitution died long ago. If the flag is symbolic of freedom, that freedom no longer exists — stolen long ago by corptocrats, globalist banksters, and unaccountable oligarchical black-robed corruptocrats who usurped their authority created laws out of thin air under the guise of "interpreting the Constitution" — a dictate not granted them under the original document.

Say "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance? You'll get suspended. Pray to Allah during school? You're protected by the First Amendment.

The phony form of patriotism instilled within the population is strong leverage against independent thinking, keeping people ignorant of the treason by our own government. Our mother has been transformed into a witch no matter how much we love her.

Remember: The Constitution, when correctly applied, should make people uncomfortable — especially those in government — because it applies to everyone.

Both truth and dissent, like true patriotism and protest, are like kryptonite to the power elite. The Founders understood this. They also understood that propaganda was a powerful tool, but that it could be overcome only through freedom of expression.

Those who join in worshiping the flag and who seek to shut down freely exchanged information on the premise that those people are may be engaging in "unpatriotic behavior" are advocating for their own slavery. If government can shut down even one thing it deems un-American, it can shut them all down.

Yours for the truth,

Bob Livingston

Editor, The Bob Livingston Letter®"

FYI, if you are a Christian and you freak out if someone doesn't use perfect flag etiquette, doesn't say the pledge of allegiance, or things like that, you are probably guilty of idolatry. You can't pledge allegiance to the flag (or America or the Constitution) and pledge allegiance to God. Only one can truly have your allegiance. This has become even more obvious now that the US government is pushing so many things that the Bible calls evil and the government calls evil, so many things that the Bible calls good or even mandates.

#grownostr #patriot #patriotism #flag

RFK, Jr. is great on so many things, but he is still big government and wants to spend taxpayer money on individuals. He also isn't pro-life, which, with all has done to protect children, seems contradictory. Although I still have several major disagreements, he may be the best that is running.

I am not able to receive zaps right now (haven't since 9/13). I am mostly using Coracle w/Alby on a desktop, but have had Iris, Snort, Satellite, and Coracle open on my desktop.

I do have Amethyst on my phone and haven't setup a wallet w/Amethyst yet. I rarely have Amethyst open and rarely post on it.

I can zap others, but have at least one person who has tried to zap me multiple times and gotten a wallet not set up notification. I was able to zap her fine. Does anyone know what is going on or how to fix it?

#nostrhelp #zap #zapstr #wallet #alby

I just logged out of Iris, which has been having all kinds of problems and rebooted my computer and browser and relogged into Alby using Coracle. Hopefully that will fix the problem.

Even if you say value comes from the highest use to which it can be put instead of the amount of work/resources put into it, that doesn't change the basic point. Money is a track of value. All value comes from resources and/or the work put into improving the usefulness of those resources. Money is a ledger of value. That is why it works.